PAINESVILLE, Ohio — Lake County has 45 days to appoint a temporary replacement for Commissioner President Richard J. Regovich, who died last week.

Because Regovich was a Republican, the appointment will be made by the Lake County Republican Party Central Committee, which must meet between five and 45 days after the vacancy occurs, according to the County Commissioners Association of Ohio.

Nick Ciolli, policy analyst for the association, said the party’s appointee will serve until the next general election on Nov. 3, 2026, when voters will choose someone to complete the remainder of Regovich’s term, which runs through Jan. 1, 2029.

He was re-elected in 2024 to a four-year term.

Ciolli said that anyone appointed to fill the vacancy is not obligated to run in the 2026 election but is pe

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