Summit County council president Ilene Shapiro is acting as interim county executive after the death of Russ Pry.

Should Shapiro remain in that role, the Summit County Democratic Party will have to fill her council vacancy and her name on the ballot for council at large.

The party says there'll be another Central Committee meeting on Wednesday, August 17th should that be needed.

A meeting already set for August 11th will select the ballot replacement for Pry, and the interim county executive for the remainder of Pry's term.

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(Summit County Democratic Party, news release) In response to recent press inquiries surrounding the sudden and unexpected passing of County Executive Russ Pry, the Summit County Democratic Party announced today the process for which this and another potential vacancy will be filled.

First, a replacement for Russ Pry as the Party's candidate for County Executive on the November ballot is to be nominated by the Summit County Democratic Party Central Committee at a meeting on August 11th, 2016 at 7:00 PM at North High School in Akron. In the same meeting, the Central Committee will appoint someone to fill the vacancy in the office of County Executive until the end of the current term. Meanwhile, in accordance with the Summit County Charter, County Council President Ilene Shapiro serves as County Executive on an interim basis.

In case the appointment of someone on August 11th should create a vacancy in a Summit County Council at Large seat, another Central Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 17th, at 7:00 p.m. at North High School in Akron. The purpose of this meeting will be to nominate someone as the Party's candidate for that County Council at Large seat in the November general election and to appoint someone to that seat until a replacement is elected on November 8th.

By law, a majority of the members of the Central Committee must be present in order for someone to be nominated as the Party's candidate in the general election. Currently, there are 287 Central Committee members; 144 constitutes a majority of 287. Also by law, a majority of the Central Committee members present must vote in favor of a particular candidate in order for a nomination to be made.

Under the Constitution and Bylaws of the Summit County Democratic Party, 50 Central Committee members must be present at a meeting in order to appoint someone to fill a vacancy in a countywide office. To be appointed, a candidate must receive a simple majority (i.e., more than half) of the votes cast.

If there are multiple candidates in a Central Committee election and no candidate receives the requisite majority in the initial balloting, runoff elections will be conducted.

This process will be strictly adhered to in order to ensure an orderly and proper transition of leadership for the residents of Summit County.