COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ The Ohio Supreme Court has sided with the state's elections chief in a dispute over two Republicans picked to fill vacancies on a county elections board in northwest Ohio.
 
The court ruled Thursday that Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican, did not abuse his discretion in rejecting the two people who the Lucas County Republican Party recommended for the county's board of elections.
 
Seats on the four-member board are divided between the two major political parties. When a vacancy occurs, the outgoing member's party can recommend someone.
 
In a 4-0 opinion, with three justices not participating, the court ruled Husted had the right to declare the Republicans' picks incompetent for the board.
 
The county GOP had challenged Husted's decision last year, saying it was based on unsubstantiated allegations.