13abc.com: Breaking News, Weather and SportsRepublicans fail to appoint BOE director

Republicans on the Lucas County Board of Elections tried to hire a new director and fire two Democrats.   But those personnel moves were blocked by the Democrats on a party line vote three weeks before an important primary.

Right from the start of Tuesday's board meeting, efforts to elect Meghan Gallagher as the Republican director at the Board of Elections met opposition from the new *Democrat* on the board.

Kaeli Cosme (D) did not want to vote, saying, "I have not had an opportunity to review any of the applicants."  Republican board member, Jon Stainbrook responded, saying, "We need to move forward this is a vacancy on the Board of Elections, this is not a reorganization."

But during five votes, the Democrats refused to confirm Gallagher, so three weeks before an important primary, there is no director at the Lucas County Board of Elections, although Meghan Gallagher is essentially performing those duties.

Then an issue of a worker refusing to perform tests on voting machines came up.  Stainbrook insisted this was a matter of insubordination, telling the board,  "When you have a Democrat who's in charge of...  logic and accuracy (of voting machines) that she's not going to do her job anymore, you don't think that's the duty of the board for oversight, Dan?"

That comment was directed at Dan DeAngelis (D), the board's deputy director.  Republicans charge, because a Democrat employee refused to test voting machines, 34 workers stepped in and were paid $10,000 overtime to do the work.

DeAngelis signed off on the overtime *without* telling Republicans about the issue.  Republicans feel DeAngelis purposefully refuses to cooperate with them and tried to get DeAngelis and the employee fired, but a party line vote saved both jobs.

13 ABC reporter Bill Hormann asked board chairman Ron Rothenbuhler if he believed there's appropriate cooperation between Republicans DeAngelis.  Rothenbuhler replied, "I believe it must be a strained relationship that I'm trying to work on improving because it's obviously not good."

DeAngelis says, "I have no problem working with the board members but it's also a give and take; they have to be willing to work with me."

Right now, Republicans have no confidence in the deputy director and now the Secretary of State will decide whether to appoint Gallagher.

Ohio's primary is 3-weeks away, but the board insists the election will be run smoothly.  However, the termination of the two Democrats could come at a reorganization meeting, March 2nd.