Elections board: Theft in office conviction bars Carlisle from running for commissioner
NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ A bid by a former Tuscarawas County commissioner to run for the same office in 2024 came to an end because a theft in office conviction in 2002 makes him ineligible to hold public office again.
The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections recently rejected the petition of Steven W. Carlisle of Wainwright to run in the March 19 primary, based on an opinion provided by Prosecutor Ryan Styer.
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The theft in office charge stemmed from Carlisle’s actions on Oct. 10, 2000, when he ordered a county employee to delete his personal and private information from a county-owned computer. Carlisle issued the order after learning of a public records request made by The Times-Reporter a few days earlier.
He served as commissioner from January 1997 to January 2001. He was defeated in his bid for re-election in November 2000.
Carlisle petitioned to have the records in the case sealed in 2007, and that request was granted by Judge Edward O'Farrell, who presided over his trial in 2002.
“While I would like to be completely transparent about this, I have to be careful what I release," Styer told The T-R in an email. "Suffice it to say that, based on my review of the facts and Ohio Supreme Court caselaw, my conclusion is that Mr. Carlisle is permanently disqualified from holding public office or employment.”
Thomas Hisrich, chairman of the board of elections, said board members rejected Carlisle's petition based on Styer's ruling.
"It's really very simple," Hisrich said. "What the prosecutor said is what the board followed."
Contacted by The T-R, Carlisle said he had no comment.
Carlisle is a Democrat. The board approved the petition of Republican Mitch Pace, a New Philadelphia councilman, who is running for the same position. No one else has filed for the post, though independents and write-in candidates can still file later this year.
Shawn Clay's petition also was rejected
The board of elections also rejected the petition of Shawn Clay, a Democrat from Dover who was seeking to run for county recorder. Hisrich said Clay did not fill out his petition correctly.
Lori Gardner of New Philadelphia, a Republican, has also filed to run for the office. Her petition was accepted. No one else filed.
Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas County elections board rejects petition of Steven Carlisle
