Former Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair dead at 76
Former Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair and Board of Elections member Joyce Kale Pesta has died at 76.
Current Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair Chris Anderson tells 21 News Kale Pesta died in her sleep Thursday evening. Her cause of death is unknown, but Anderson did not believe her to be suffering from any illnesses.
Anderson praised Kale Pesta describing her as a "career public servant."
"She gave her life not only to our party, but to Mahoning County as a while. She spent her entire career in public service trying to make it easier for folks to vote and expanding our access to the Board of elections. Everyone in our county is better off for her service," Anderson said.
Anderson went on to offer his thoughts and prayers to Kale Pesta's husband Tom, as well as the rest of her family and the Mahoning County Board of Elections, who she considered family.
Kale Pesta was voted in as Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair in 2019. She held that title until 2022 when Anderson was selected to succeed her.
Most recently, Kale Pesta was sworn in as the Secretary of the Ohio Association of Elected Officials (OAEO) at the OAEO Winter Conference in January of 2025 according to a Facebook post from the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
