Fed Ed Gets Dem Nod With Four Percent

When my father was defeated in his bid for re-election as NorCo DA, radio stations  were still providing independent news coverage. So it was a radio reporter who stuck a microphone in my Dad's face to ask for his reaction. "The people have spoken," said my slightly inebriated father. "Fuck 'em."

It would be hard to blame Ray O'Connell or any of he other disappointed Mayoral candidates from feeling that way. But we live in a nation in which a scant plurality, as opposed to a real majority, can decide who leads them. So despite a federal investigation into Allentown Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski for political corruption, Democrats have chosen him as the party's nominee for a fourth term as Mayor.

Fed Ed cited his victory as proof that no dark cloud hangs over Allentown. But the reality is that he was chosen by just 1,734 of approximately 42,000 registered Democrats. Four percent of the City's Democrats decided for the other 96%.

Some blame the crowded field of seven candidates as making Fed Ed's nomination inevitable. But it's really a flaw in our winner-take-all system, which fails to provide for Instant-runoff voting (IRV). That's a voting method used in single-seat elections when there are more than two candidates. If voters ranked candidates in order of preference. Though this method is used in several counties and even in our Oscar selections, Maine is the sole state to provides for instant run-offs.

A more simple solution would be a second round of voting, limited to the top two candidates.

The Republican Mayoral primary was much more of a mandate for Nat Hyman. He garnered 1,422 voter to Luiz Garcia's 667.

So unless he's dragged out of office, kicking and screaming, Fed Ed will face Hyman in November. It is the worst possible result

Other disasters. Amy Zanelli, aka the Chicken Lady, cruised to victory in the Lehigh County Commissioner's race for We these constant attacks tiresome andcounterproductiveandwill be ignoring him from this point. st Bathlehem and Allentown's East Side over Dennis Pearson and Basilio Bonilla. Far few voters know her history. She will face Bob Smith, a man who suffered nearly fatal injuries when he broke the fallofa troubled teen who tried to commit suicide and hurled herself off a roof.

Easton voters went with incumbents Sandra Vulcano and Jim Edinger over Taiba Sultana and Terrence Miller

Silver linings. Alicia Zito and Vivian Zumas, both of whom captured the nomination of both parties for Magisterial District Judge slots in the slate belt and  east Bethlehem.

Tracy Magnotta,who won in the Saucon Valley School Board race.

Bob Cartwright, who fought off an attempt to remove him from the Bangor School Board, has survived on the Republican ballot.

Matt Dees survived an ugly attempt by Tricia Mezzacappa to knock him off the Democratic ballot in West Easton. She will be on the Republican ballot, but only captured 24 votes, about half as many as four years ago.

I'll have more to say tomorrow. I spent a long day yesterday as an election judge and need a little time to recharge my batteries.