NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - Sheila Martin won’t get to run against the two incumbents in the New Phila school board race after missing the ballot requirement by one signature. 

The Fifth District Court of Appeals issued a ruling last week upholding the Tuscarawas County election board’s decision not to certify Martin’s candidate petition. Martin says she’s disappointed that she and three other rejected school board hopefuls won’t get to run in November, but she isn’t letting it discourage her from trying again in 2021. 

"There’s not much really that I have left to say. We tried our very best and it just wasn’t meant to be. I still feel like what happened was a terrible injustice. I feel like four good candidates for school board were never given an opportunity to run so now the community does not have a choice. We’ll just have to try again in two years. We tried our very best, and I know the court was fair with everything they did. I’m disappointed but we can at least say we tried our best."

The appeals court ruled that two of Martin’s 75 signatures were improperly rejected for the signers using their printed name rather than their legal signature. Board of Elections Director Gail Garbrandt Garbrandt says a third signature was deemed invalid, so she still didn’t have enough to get on the ballot. 

"The court did not allow the signature of the person who was not registered to vote at the address she printed on her petition. So Ms. Martin did not have the required number of signatures required by law, and so they did not grant her writ of mandamus." 

Garbrandt says they’re seeking clarification from the secretary of state’s office on the signature issue because the court’s ruling contradicts one of their directives. 

Meanwhile, the elections board is also awaiting an Ohio Supreme Court ruling on their decision to disqualify Sugarcreek Mayor Clayton Weller from running for a third term.

TUSCO TV