In about two weeks the Lawrence County Democratic Central Committee will name its replacement to the county’s board of elections.

In February longtime chairman of the board Karen Matney Simmons announced that she was retiring effective the end of this month.

Simmons first went on the board on Oct. 12, 1999, and was named chairwoman on Feb. 8, 2000.

Right now the only person interested in the post is Ironton attorney Mark McCown, according to party chairman Craig Allen. McCown is secretary of the local Democratic party.

“I think it is an important position as to the fair monitoring of the elections,” McCown said. “For the last several election cycles I have been an observer at the board of elections for various groups.”

McCown has been a practicing attorney in Ironton since 1997 and is a graduate of Georgetown University law school. Recently he served as counsel to the committee in Scioto County that sought the recall of its then mayor Jane Murray.

“My legal positions were adopted by the Scioto board and eventually upheld by unanimous decision by the Ohio Supreme Court,” McCown said. “I am looking forward to (serving on the board) with the ever-changing atmosphere of election law. It is of significant help to have someone on the board with knowledge of the law.”

The Lawrence board, which is made up of two representatives from the two main political parties, supervises and conducts all public elections in the county. It meets once a month. Each of the four members received an annual stipend of $5,760 and health insurance.

The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 4, at the courtroom of Common Pleas Judge D. Scott Bowling. It is not open to the public.