Former Licking County elections director in employment limbo
NEWARK − Luke Burton is in employment limbo, neither the director nor the assistant director of the Licking County Board of Elections office, but still working in the office performing the same duties.
During a reorganization earlier this month when the director and assistant director have traditionally flipped positions every couple years, Republican Brian Mead, the deputy director, was named director of the office. But the two Democrats on the four-member Licking County Board of Elections (BOE) pushed at the March 6 board meeting to replace Burton, a Democrat, with Alex Rolletta, another Democrat and former Newark city councilman. The two Republicans votes no, which left Ohio Secretary of State Frank Larose to break the 2-2 tie.
Larose sent the issue back to the Licking County BOE members to correct some procedural errors and compare the qualifications of the candidates. He noted that he’s received bipartisan praise for Burton, whom he said has “exemplary work ethic and understanding of election matters.”
At a special meeting Thursday, there were no nominations by the four-member BOE for the deputy director position, leaving the position vacant. There were eight public comments at the meeting, five supporting Burton, two critical of the Democrats on the board and one praising the operations of thlicking County elections.
Because there has not been three votes by the BOE to remove Burton, he remains employed as Licking County elections administrator, Mead said.
The board’s next regularly-scheduled meeting is 11:30 a.m. April 10, when it could vote on a deputy director. Mead said there could also be another special meeting before then.
“I’ll remain here in the office, doing my duties as I have,” Burton said following Thursday’s meeting. “I will not leave until removed by a majority vote of the board or by the secretary of state.
“However, I hope the board members will take the public comments, consider how the public viewed this meeting and move forward with the important work we do in elections administration and leave any of their personal feelings of current or past members or administrations at the door.”
Without a deputy director, BOE chairman Freddie Latella, a Democrat, will for the time being sign necessary documents in that role.
New board member Kaye Hartman, a Democrat, declined to provide specific reasons why she did not want Burton to remain in the job, but made it clear she had strong feelings on the issue.
“I have no trust in Luke,” Hartman said. “In this particular position, the board member has to have some faith and trust in the person they’re appointing to this position, and I do not have it. That’s my reason.”
Hartman also said Burton never submitted a resume or letter expressing interest in continuing in the deputy director position, so she assumed he wasn’t interested in remaining.
But Mead said “that is not the norm for a sitting director or deputy director. He was the sitting director and he’s not required to resubmit.”
Latella said Burton does not communicate with Democrats like Burton does with the Republicans.
“Luke did the bipartisan job that he was supposed to do when someone came to the counter or someone called and asked him questions, but the Democrats put Luke in that position,” Latella said. “(Burton) complains we didn’t communicate with him, but he certainly didn’t communicate with us, either. I think that’s a big problem.
“His counterpart does that tremendously. I know Brian makes sure that they know what’s going on. As a Democrat, we have no idea what’s going on in there because nobody calls us.”
Park Shai, a Republican new to the board this year, said he was troubled by the discussion to remove Burton from his job.
“I have a hard time believing we should oust a guy that’s in a good-paying job with a family and has done a good job, from all indications that I have,” Shai said. “I also have a hard time of putting the burden on the board on a daily basis for something that I don’t see as a big enough argument to get rid of him. That frustrates me.”
The Licking County Democratic Club issued a statement in support of Burton, saying he is a loyal Democrat, generous with his time and a tremendous asset to Licking County voters. The club’s statement urges the BOE Democrats to re-appoint Burton.
“I know Luke to be an effective and responsive leader who was well-liked and respected by his colleagues, and who brings a specialized skill set to the board of elections, which is crucial for good elections administration,” said Melinda Miller, president of the Licking County Democratic Club and a BOE member until her term ended last week.
“I was dismayed at the attempt by the current Democratic members of this board to what amounts to firing Luke for no good cause,” she said.
David Lipstreu, a Democrat who ran for Newark City Council in 2021, said Burton “was very helpful to me. He provided excellent information and showed a great breadth of knowledge.”