LIVE FROM COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS!

Parties have arrived early for what may be a pivotal hearing for the City of East Cleveland. As reported here last week, East Cleveland City Council president Joy Jordan is in a struggle to claim a place on the ballot in her city’s October 1 mayoral primary.

Today’s County Board of Elections starts in about ten minutes. Item 5 on the Board’s agenda is “Protest hearing regarding candidate petition filed for the October 1, 2013 East Cleveland Mayoral Primary Election.” This item presumably refers to Jordan’s petitions, which have yet to be certified by the Board, apparently due to her campaign’s failure to properly constitute her Committee of Electors, a requirement that may be unique to East Cleveland.

Present in the public gallery, in attention to Jordan, are a small number of her supporters, including her father, activist dentist Eugene Jordan. Also present is Gerald Silvera, a Republican who has filed complaints with the county and state challenging the ballot eligibility of East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton, who has been delinquent in filing campaign finance reports in several prior campaigns.

East Cleveland law director Ronald Riley is also here, as are a number of city hall regulars.

Former East Cleveland mayor Darryl Pittman has just arrived, along with law partner James Alexander. Pittman has represented City Council in the past in its frequent battles with the Norton administration.

Cleveland city councilman Jeff Johnson has also appeared, perhaps relative to correspondence he has submitted to the Board.

We will update this report as the day proceeds.

9:34

Meeting has just started with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Norton has arrived.