HAMILTON — Butler County Democrats have appointed former Assistant Prosecutor John M. Holcomb to the county board of elections.

        Board members receive an annual salary of $14,000.

        Mr. Holcomb, son of late Prosecutor John H. Holcomb, replaces Mark Conese, who was removed from the board last month by Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell in a campaign finance scandal.

        Mr. Conese also resigned as chairman of the Butler County Democratic Party's central committee. A replacement will be selected within two months.

        Dan Gattermeyer, chairman of the Democratic Party, said Mr. Holcomb will be one of the people who will help lead the embattled party to better times.

        “Hopefully, we're at a point now where we can move forward and help Democrat candidates get elected in Butler County,” Mr. Gattermeyer said. “With new leadership, it's our hope we can make the Democratic Party a strong force again in Butler County politics.”

        In addition to being rocked by the Conese scandal, Butler County Democrats were embarrassed in November's election when Republicans swept all county offices.

        Mr. Blackwell determined that Mr. Conese threatened to fire a part-time special assistant to the board of elections last year if he didn't contribute his after-tax salary — totaling $4,800 — to the party.

        Mr. Conese said Wednesday he voluntarily resigned as chairman of the party's central committee.

        In a party vote this week, Mr. Holcomb defeated Stephen Hightower, vice chairman of the party's executive committee, 101-28.

        “John has shown a lot of leadership ability,” Mr. Gattermeyer said.

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