YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Board of Elections voted not to certify four people who filed as independent candidates for Youngstown City Council seats to the Nov. 7 ballot because of problems with their nominating petitions.

Jermaine Donlow of Parkwood Avenue, who filed for the 1st Ward, and Cheryl Findley of West Judson Avenue, who wants to run in the 6th Ward, failed to reach the minimum requirement of 25 valid signatures to qualify.

The board also voted Tuesday not to certify Christine Lewis of North Glenellen Avenue for the 4th Ward because she failed to sign the statement of candidacy on her petitions and Linsey Bonnette of Austin Avenue in the 5th Ward because she didn’t identify what ward seat she was seeking on her petitions.

“It’s really a low bar to get on the ballot,” board Chairman David Betras said. “It’s really low. If you can’t get above the bar, the board has no choice.”

Donlow submitted nominating petitions with 59 signatures, but only 12 were ruled valid.

Findley turned in petitions with 55 signatures. Board employees found 22 valid signatures, and board members allowed two others with printed names, rather than cursive, because those two people printed their names on other board of elections documents.

That left Findley one signature shy and there was much discussion about the incomplete signature of Irma I. Rodriguez of Idlewood Avenue, who just used the letter R when signing her last name.

Betras voted to rule it a valid signature, but the three other board members deemed it invalid, so Findley was not certified.

She and the others not certified can request the board reconsider the decisions.

In Findley’s case, she would need a sworn affidavit from a person who signed her petition — likely Rodriguez — who wasn’t counted as being valid.

Findley said she planned to do that with Rodriguez.

The board next meets June 20 to open and review bids for ballot printing for the August and November elections. It could decide to hold a hearing, if a request for reconsideration is filed, at that meeting.

There was a close call for Benjamin Brown of Holland Avenue, an independent candidate for the 2nd Ward.

Brown turned in petitions with 60 signatures, but board employees could initially only find 22 that were valid — leaving him three shy.

But between Monday and Tuesday, board employees found three other signatures on Brown’s petitions allowing him to be a candidate.

The board considered the candidacy of Million Perry-Phifer of Hubbard Road, also running as an independent in the 2nd Ward, at Tuesday’s meeting because he failed to put his house number on his petitions. The board ruled 4-0 to certify Perry-Phifer.

Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, is the only Youngstown council member who didn’t have a challenger file against her. If Lewis and Findley aren’t put on the ballot, incumbents Mike Ray, D-4th Ward, and Anita Davis, D-6th Ward, also would be unopposed in the November general election.

The board certified Davis as the winner in her ward’s Democratic primary after a May 18 recount in her race against Janet Tarpley that ended in a tie. Tarpley lost a coin toss to determine the winner.

The board certified the petitions of all the others who filed to run as independent candidates for Youngstown council, Youngstown clerk of courts, Poland village council, Poland mayor and Campbell Municipal Court judge.

Those decisions could be challenged. Protests against independent candidates must be filed by July 31, according to state law.