BOE Certifies May 5 Ballot Amid Record-Keeping Errors | The Locally Times
The Board of Elections certified the May 5 primary ballot on Feb. 17, but its own records list the meeting date as May 5 and the certified list of candidates remains unpublished.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (BOE) met on February 17, 2026, to certify candidates and ballot issues for the May 5 Primary Election. Public notices state the board convened for one hour, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM, at its offices at 1803 Superior Avenue in Cleveland. The certification proceeded despite prior procedural questions; as The Locally Times reported previously, public notices for the meeting did not include the specific criteria for approving or rejecting ballot items. While the board's action finalizes the ballot, a full accounting of its decisions is not yet public. The certified list of candidates and the text of the ballot issues were not included in the meeting's public records. The official minutes from the February 17 meeting, which should contain this list, were also not available at the time of this report. ## A Pattern of Inconsistent Public Records Public oversight is complicated by discrepancies within the Board of Elections' own records. While meeting notices state the certification occurred on February 17, 2026, two separate digital records on the BOE website documenting the event are dated May 5, 2026—the date of the primary election. This lack of clarity in public documentation is not unique to the Board of Elections. A notice from the City of Fairview Park, updated February 12, 2026, invites applications for its Shade Tree Advisory Committee by a February 27 deadline. The term for the position ends December 31, 2028. However, the official record for this public notice is dated December 31, 2028, the day the term ends, not the date the notice was issued. ## Election Connects to County Financial Decisions The primary will allow voters to narrow the field for local offices and decide on measures affecting municipal budgets, school funding, and public services. The officials ultimately chosen in the 2026 election cycle will oversee boards and councils managing the region's finances. The Port of Cleveland, for instance, has scheduled critical financial meetings for later in 2026 to discuss its annual audit report on July 9, tax rates on September 10, and its operating and capital budgets on December 10. The outcomes of these meetings will be administered by officials shaped by the May 5 primary and subsequent general election. Throughout 2026, boards for the Cleveland Metroparks and the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools will also hold regular monthly meetings to oversee their operations and budgets. The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission has a series of tentative meetings scheduled that will influence regional development. ## Key Documents Remain Unpublished The most immediate information voters lack is the certified list of candidates and issues for the May 5 primary. Without this, voters cannot begin researching candidates or understanding the financial implications of proposed tax levies and bond issues. Beyond the ballot, other official business remains difficult to track. Source documents for numerous scheduled meetings across the county—from the City of Willowick’s council meetings to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission’s tentative sessions—provide dates and times but no agendas or supporting materials. The absence of these documents makes it impossible for the public to know what specific topics were discussed or what decisions were made. The gap between the execution of official duties and the transparent documentation of those actions leaves voters without foundational information for the upcoming election.