BOARDMAN — The Mahoning County Democratic Party’s executive committee recommended bank executive Denise Glinatsis Bayer to serve on the county board of elections to replace Joyce Kale-Pesta, who died April 10.

As with all boards of elections seats, county political parties recommend a candidate and Ohio’s secretary of state, Republican Frank LaRose, confirms.

The executive committee met Thursday at St. Luke Banquet Center in Boardman to select Bayer of Canfield, vice president, senior trust officer for Premier Bank, which was recently merged into WesBanco Bank.

Bayer said: “I’m very excited to get to work alongside my soon-to-be colleagues on the board of elections and on behalf of the voters in Mahoning County. Thank you to the executive committee of the Mahoning Dems for putting their trust in me.”

Bayer said of Kale-Pesta: “I do not take it lightly to come behind such a giant, not only in our party but in the electoral professionals space and I will work every day to pick up where she left off.”

Mahoning Democratic Chairman Chris Anderson said: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce Denise as our recommendation to fill the seat left by Joyce’s passing. I have known Denise for more than 10 years and know she is dedicated to protecting every resident of Mahoning County’s right to vote.”

In addition to being a bank executive, Bayer serves as chair of the Mahoning Democratic Party’s screening committee, which interviews candidates for vacant elected positions and those seeking endorsements for open seats. She also is on the party’s executive committee.

Bayer chairs the Opera Western Reserve’s board of trustees, is treasurer of the Lucy R. Buechner Hall’s board of trustees and secretary of the Tod Homestead Cemetery Association. She also serves on the board of trustees for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and on the board of directors for the Western Reserve Health Foundation.

Before joining Premier Bank in November 2022, she was a vice president at Huntington Bank and worked as an attorney for 15 years. She is a member of the Mahoning County and Ohio State bar associations.

“Denise is deeply rooted in our community — serving on the board of many nonprofits, is an outstanding attorney and I know she will knock this role out of the park. It is our hope that Secretary LaRose and his team will quickly confirm our recommendation so Denise can be seated as soon as possible.”

Bayer will be the third attorney on the four-person elections board. She will join Democrat David Betras, who serves as chairman, and Republican Lisa Robinson, who was appointed in February to the board. Republican Sandra Barger, who serves as the board’s vice chairman, is an accountant.

Kale-Pesta spent 33 years working for the board of elections as director, deputy director and clerk. After her retirement in November 2021, she was appointed to serve as a board of elections member.

Bayer will fill the rest of Kale-Pesta’s term, which expires in early 2027.

Kale-Pesta also served as a vice chairwoman of the Mahoning Democratic Party and on the state Democratic Party central committee representing the 33rd District.

The county party will meet in the next couple of months to elect a successor to Kale-Pesta as well as to J. Michael Thompson, who served as the party’s other vice chairman, Anderson said. Thompson resigned in late 2023.

It is up to the Ohio Democratic Party to select a successor to Kale-Pesta on the state central committee.