On Wednesday and Thursday, I told you who's running for local office here in Northampton County. Candidates file what is known as a nomination petition. These contain the signatures of voters registered with the political party in which the nomination is sought. The number of voters required vary, depending on the office sought. These voters must also reside in the relevant district, must date their signature and a circulator must certify that he explained the petition before getting a signature. In addition to filing a nomination petition, candidates must file a Statement of Financial Interests with the Clerk of the subdivision in which they seek election. A candidate who falls short in any of these categories can be bounced if objections are filed. As with every municipal election, I expect to see several challenges. I would bet money that the Myers' nomination petition will be challenged. Those must be filed within 10 days after the nomination petition is filed, which is March 17 14 this year.
Yesterday, I heard that NorCo Council President Kerry Myers has a very weak nomination petition. I decided to check myself, and it's bad.. He represents the Easton area district, but he circulated among Bethlehem voters and even an Allentown voter. I believe that, once a check of these signatures is complete, he'll fall short of the 250 signatures needed.
The late Rick Orloski liked to say, "Voters should decide elections, not judges." I agree completely, If someone screws up a signature or writes in the wrong address, she should have every opportunity to cure her error. Judges will readily agree. But if you're soliciting people who actually live outside your district or who are registered with another party, you're actually eliminating the voter.
Everyone who runs for office should come in with twice the number of signatures needed because, no matter how hard you try, some signatures are going to be bad. Myers, who has run for office numerous times, knows this. He chose to file with just barely the amount of signatures needed, knowing he has an opponent.
As a Councilmember, I've told you he's lazy. As a candidate, he has proven me right.
ERRATUM: Objections to nomination petitions are due 3/14,not 3/17. I misread the date in the original version of this story.
Did you and barron also check his opponents petitions? Word is she has names from Bethlehem Twp. and other areas. Since you two are both working for Mcclure's candidate to suppress citizen participation thru intimidation of participation. Who gets to challenge his petitions in court?
ReplyDelete12:40, I encourage citizen participation. Ms. Keegan, who is running against Myers, has twice the number of signature he has and that's precisely bc she knows some of them are going to be bad. If you think she doesn't have valid signatures from 250 voters from within D2,file a challenge. I'm all for letting the voters decide. But they should be voters, and voters who reside in the district. No candidate should sneak onto a ballot by submitting signatures from people who are not members of the party and who do not reside in the district. If anyone is suppressing citizen participation, it is Myers. He is not God and has no right to insist he be placed on a ballot unless voters from his own party say so. Any Democrat who resides in that district has the right to challenge Myers' placement on the ballot. "I got 72% of the vote," is not a defense. "I am Council President" is not a defense.
ReplyDeleteActually it is thanks to you that I looked at his petition.
Please wrote a post about Anthony Maniscalco, the handpicked northampton school board candidate of domestic terrorist and j6 rioters matt flower. They're pushing a guy who has never attended a board meeting.....I smell fed. Word has it the fbi visited mr flower again this week.
ReplyDeleteMatt Flower here….
DeleteNo visits from the FBI this week. No domestic terror charges, no charges of any kind related to Jan 6. If the FBI is coming, let me know and I’ll make fresh coffee. We get along just fine and in my experience members of our FBI have been professional, fair and courteous.
Your post is just false gossip with no merit whatsoever.
Bernie
ReplyDeleteYou know this will be a race issue with Myers
When's the deadline file to challenge?
ReplyDeleteIsn't there a cost to file a challenge?
I assume a challenger must be a registered Democrat voter in D2 in order to challenge?
I predict this response:
ReplyDeleteThis blogger is racist. This blog post is racist. Any petition challenge is racist. A system requiring verification is racist. Geography and boundaries are racist. Math is racist. Pens and ink are racist. Anyone who didn't sign a petition is racist. If you disagree with these statements, you're a racist. If you agree with these statements, you're still a racist.
12:40 AM got smacked down! and now might have to do some actual leg work as opposed to typing.
ReplyDelete6:41, This post is about Myers, not right wing school board candidate Maniscalco. His candidacy is a reflection of the culture wars of which I speak.
ReplyDelete11:10, Objections to the nomination petitions must be filed by 3/17. The cost is the same cost required to file any lawsuit in NorCo. If a person lacks resources, he can file a petition to proceed in forma pauperis.
ReplyDeleteLast day to file objections is March 14th mr ohare
ReplyDeleteWhy do you keep saying the 17th
https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/CandidatesCommittees/RunningforOffice/Documents/2023/2023%20PENNSYLVANIA%20ELECTIONS%20IMPORTANT%20DATES-APPROVED.pdf
"Last day to file objections is March 14th mr ohare"
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. I misread the date.
That’s not like you, are you ok?
ReplyDeleteBernieOHare to 11:02, I make mistakes all the time lol. I simply misread the date.
ReplyDelete