"Where's the money, Lamont?" Signs Appear in NorCo

 

Several of you have noticed yard signs like the one you see above popping up in some corners of NorCo. Are they nostalgia for the Sanford and Son TV series?  Do they suggest that, once your money is gone, you need to go to Gracedale? I believe a lot of people who see these posters would be hard put to understand the point. But a few do. Those few are Democrats and Republicans who follow NorCo government. And they'll understand the message - it's an accusation that NorCo Exec Lamont McClure squandered money intended for bonuses at Gracedale, the county's nursing home. The message implies that this money is missing and may have been pocketed.  Basically, it's misinformation. But is it effective as a negative campaign ad? By itself, no. But if it is combined with mailers that explain more clearly what actually happened, it can be effective. 

As much as people say they hate negative campaigns, they do work if the information is accurate. 

Let's summarize the details. 

Back in March, NorCo Council wanted to know what happened to $5 million in retention bonuses they set aside for Gracedale employees, and tasked Controller Tara Zrinski with finding out. She did. She conducted an audit and learned that, of $5 million approved for retention bonuses, only $2.36 million was actually paid to employees. The rest was used for operating expenses at the nursing home.  Because this money was commingled with other Gracedale funds, it is impossible to state exactly how each dollar was spent. 

Based on what Zrinski learned, we know that Council's directive was ignored, which was undoubtedly a blunder. But we also know that no money is missing, as the sign dishonestly suggests. Based on what we know, McClure can be tagged for several mistakes. He failed to spend the bonus money the way Council intended it to be spent, at least with respect to career service (nonunion) workers. He failed to ensure that the bonus money was in a separate fund to prevent it from being commingled.  He also failed to alert Council of the problem in an executive session in which he could freely describe how some Gracedale staffers basically blew the money on unneeded overtime for non-nursing staff.  

What we learned is, quite frankly, damaging. But the suggestion that any money is missing is a bold-faced lie designed to appeal to low-information voters.  

NorCo GOP Threatens Litigation if Two Additional "Ballot By Demand" Stations Are Established

Thanks to recent changes in state law, county elections offices actually conduct three elections instead of just one. First, you can vote at your polling station on election day. Second, you can request a mail-in ballot (MIB) and vote by mail or by dropping your ballot off at one of several drop box locations. Finally, you can get a "ballot by demand" from the county elections office, fill it out and drop it off once MIBs are available. At their June meeting, NorCo's elections commission authorized the administration to pursue the establishment of two additional "ballot by demand" stations in South Bethlehem and Washington Township. The vote was 3-2, with Democrats supporting two additional stations and Republicans opposed. NorCo Republicans have now threatened to sue if these stations are actually established. 

Charles Baltic, an attorney who resides in Upper Mount Bethel and is a committee member, told the Commission that the establishment of two additional satellite offices is contrary to election law. "Should the commission or the county elections department move forward with this plan to establish one or more satellite county election offices, litigation to prevent this will be forthcoming," he warned.

Baltic's sentiments were echoed by Glenn Geissinger, who apparently is still the NorCo GOP chair and has yet to move to Schuylkill County as its new Finance Director. Geissinger also claimed that these satellite offices are illegal. "You have essentially authorized this administration to place an on demand voting location without any kind of empirical data in a precinct that is 80-20 in its Democrats to Republican registration, you have done it without any kind of parameters on its openings, the security of ballots or the integrity of the vote. It is an abominable assault on our democracy. Period."

Solicitor Michael Vargo advised the elections commission that he believes these satellite office locations are legal and would prepare a memo outlining his reasoning. 

County Administrator Nicole Pietrzak said that Washington Tp Supervisors have yet to vote on establishing a satellite office there, and that the county and Fowler Center in South Bethlehem are still considering whether a satellite office there is feasible.

In his report, Elections Registrar Chris Commini noted the following:

Last day to register - October 20.

Last day to apply for MIB or on demand voting - October 28, 5 pm

Last day to return MIBs - November 4, 8 pm.

Election Day - November 4. If you are in line by 8 pm, you must be permitted to vote. 

Canvassing the Vote (Official Tally) - starts November 7

Registered voters - 227,887.

MIB enrollees - 27,069. 

Election Day - November 4.

He had a message for voters as well. If you have any concerns about your registration, polling location or status of a MIB, contact a trusted source.

These are (1) the Northampton County Elections Division at 610-829-6260 between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday thru Friday; (2) The Department of State website, which is vote.pa.gov, or (3) you can call the Department of state at 1-877-868-3772.

Following the Money: Zrinski Spent $86k in Dem NorCo Exec Primary; GOP Giovanni

Northampton County Controller Tara Zrinski was able to beat Amy Cozze for the Democratic nomination as NorCo Exec in the May primary. She garnered 56.78% of the vote, beating Cozze by over 3,000 votes. But she spent a lot of money doing so.  According to her pre- and post-primary reports, she spent $86,273.72, relied on $35,000 in in-kind contributions. She's also over $13,000 in debt.

She enters the general election against Republican Tom Giovanni with just $4,327.15 and a donor base that might very well be tapped out. 

In addition to waging a negative campaign that gave Giovanni lots of ammunition, Amy Cozze forced Zrinski and many of her supporters to spend money they may be unable to provide in the general election. 

Unlike Zrinski, Giovanni had no primary opponent. He was able to coast and has $4,929.21 in his treasury.

NorCo Election Results Are Now Official

Northampton County's election results are now official. Results were certified yesterday by the Elections Commission. 

Registrar Chris Commini said 40,558 votes were cast, including 21,916 election day votes and 86 provisional ballots counted of 106 cast. Though turnout overall is just 17.9%, Commini noted that this was an election in which only Democrats and Republicans could vote, and that the turnout among those voters was 22%. 

How did it break down by party? 15,489 Republicans and 25,099 Democrats voted. 

The Mail-in Ballot (MIB) return rate was 75%.

Following the canvass (official count) results were audited and the county passed without issue. 

There will be a casting of lots at 10 am Friday for ballot position in races involving several candidates. 

Commini explained that consistent with what state law allows, MIBs are precanvassed starting at 7 am election day. Throughout the day, more MIBs come in from the post office and drop boxes. If an envelope fails to scan, it is hand-scanned. This happened to one Bethlehem voter whose vote was counted. 

Lehigh University has expressed a willingness to host a ballot-by-demand office several days a week prior to the election, and the county administration sought input from the elections commission. Member Margie DeRenzis moved to pursue that opportunity. "I think it makes it more likely that students will vote," she argued. "We want everyone's voices heard." Chair Sharon Gavin-Levy said that the Fowler Center should be asked to host it because parking is better. Currently, the only place to vote on demand is at the elections office in Easton.

"Why are we coddling college students?" asked member Julia Geissinger. 

Eventually, Republican members argued for an additional ballot by demand location in the northern tier as well as south side Bethlehem.

A vote on requesting the county to pursue opportunities for on-demand voting in south Bethlehem and the northern tier passed by a 3-2 vote. It passed in a party-line vote. Democrats Sharon Gavin-Levy, Margie DeRenzis and Daniel Lopresti voted yes. Republicans Julia Geissinger and Scott Hough voted No. 

NorCo Election: Zrinski Trounces Cozze (and McClure Beats Wild in Proxy War)

Northampton County Controller Tara Zrinski has trounced Amy Cozze in the county's Democratic primary for County Executive. With 156 of 157 precincts reporting, Zrinski had 13,449 votes (56.78%) to 10,194 (43.04%) for Cozze in the unofficial count. Around 10:15 pm, a tearful Zrinski claimed victory. Cozze, who had planned a watch party in Easton, canceled out. Her campaign stated it would release a statement once the results were completely tallied.

It was a nasty race. Zrinski was branded as an opportunist who runs for every office available. But Cozze's actions as elections registrar hurt her bid. She tendered a resignation to take effect just 12 days before an election because she wanted more money, effectively putting her own interests in front of the county. She also unartfully referred the county's commitment to open space as "lazy policy" during a debate. 

This race was also something of a proxy war between outgoing Exec Lamont McClure and former Congress member Susan Wild. Wild, who lost her seat to Ryan Mackenzie last year, was apparently miffed that McClure decided to run without seeking her permission. So Wild embraced Cozze, funneled donations to her campaign and spent election day visiting the polls with Cozze. McClure not only funded Zrinski with $10,000 of his campaign treasury but made sure she had a lot of financial support from the trade unions. 

So while Zrinski convincingly beat Cozze at the polls, and by a higher margin than I expected, McClure demonstrated to Wild that her reach in Northampton County is quite limited. 

Despite the influx of 18,426 mail-in ballots, turnout was an anemic 17.7%. 

Zrinski will face Republican Tom Giovanni in November. 

In the judicial race, Jeremy Clark (12,132 votes - 52.69%) edged out Bob Eyer (10,851 votes - 47.13%) for the Democratic nomination. But James Fuller, a Monroe County prosecutor, won the Republican nod. This race will be decided in the general election. 

In the only contested magisterial contest, Rob Kemmerer won the Republican nomination with 67.21% of the GOP vote, while Ellen Kingsley captured the Democratic nod with 46.77% of the votes cast. That race will therefore be decided in November. 

In the NorCo Council races, the five candidates on the Dem Ballot and GOP ballot all won. The top Democratic vote getter was David Holland, a psychiatric nurse and former administrator at Gracedale. The top Republican was Sam Elias, a Bethlehem police officer. 

Patti Bruno had hoped to mount a successful Democratic write-in campaign, but the 1,000 or so write-ins cast are far below what would be needed to topple a Dem on the ballot. 

In Bethlehem, Mayor Willie Reynolds scored a near landslide (64.96%) against Grace Crampsie Smith in his bid for re-election.  It also appears that incumbents Rachel Leon and Hillary Kwiatek will keep their seats. They'll be joined by Justin Amann and Jo Daniels in the general. 

In Easton, incumbents fared more poorly. Roger Ruggles and Taiba Sultana have lost their seats to Frank Graziano and Susan Hartranft-Bittinger, respectively. 

Feel Free to Make Your Last-Minute Pitches Here

If you'd like to make a last-minute argument for a candidate, please feel free to do so in the comments. I will periodically load them throughout the day. 

Please Share Tour Experience at the Polls

Every election day, several readers like to share their experiences at the polling place, and I enjoy reading them. Please feel free to share (1) where you voted; (2) what turnout was like; and (3) if you experienced any problems. 

Two years ago, when the Express Vote XL went haywire, it was you who first began noting it here. Hopefully, that issue has been put to rest. Some of you have witnessed officious or partisan elections workers inside the polling place. If that is so, please let us know. 

If you are voting in person in NorCo, be sure to check your voter verifiable paper ballot before officially casting your ballot. If you want to change your mind, you can spoil your ballot either two or three times (I forget the exact number) and try again.

UPDATED: Three Candidates Running for Wind Gap Magisterial Seat

Magisterial district judges, sometimes called the peoples' courts, are the frontline of our state's justice system. They handle the lion's share of cases, from neighborhood squabbles to landlord and tenant disputes to parking tickets. A magisterial district judge must be 21 and a state resident who has lived in the magisterial district for at least one year before assuming office. Terms last for six years, and nothing prevents other employment, though that is becoming less common. A minor court jurist can an attorney, but can be a nonlawyer as well, so long as he he can complete the training to be certified by the Administrative Office of Pa. Courts. Salary is $113,713 and is tied to the cost-of-living index, so it goes up each year. This year there is one open magisterial district in Northampton County, and three people are in the hunt. The three candidates running are Ellen Kingsley, an assistant District Attorney; Rob Kemmerer, former Director of Northampton County's Pretrial Services Department (he actually resigned that position to run); and Matt Flower, This district covers Bath, Chapman, Stockertown, Wind Gap, Bushkill Township, Moore Township - Phillips and Eastern Districts and Plainfield Township - Plainfield Church District. The purpose of this post is to describe the three candidates and where they are getting their money. 

Ellen Kingsley. - A 1999 graduate of Widener School of Law, she has primarily practiced family law. She is also an Assistant District Attorney, where she serves as Chief of the Domestic Violence Unit. District Attorney Steve Baratta told County Council last week, "If she is fortunate enough to win, it will be a big loss [to his office]." 

Here's her campaign as she summarizes it herself:

"In order to serve as Magisterial District Judge, you either need to be an attorney and member of the bar of the PA Supreme Court or be "certified" by the Minor Judiciary Education Board. To get certified candidates who aren't lawyers need to attend a 4-week course in Harrisburg. It is not required of attorneys since they have a law degree and, usually, experience. My three-year law degree, 26 years of experience in both civil and criminal law, including litigation in front of MDJs, and in ruling on and handling appeals from the Magisterial Districts make me the most qualified candidate."

Her nomination petition was challenged in court by Flower but he lost. Those two then engaged in an online battle in which neither looks particularly judicial. 

Her campaign finance records reveal that she is largely self-funded. Aside from a $2,500 contribution from Jake Olsson, an employee of ScrbeAmerica, most of the money in her $3,525 Pre-Primary Finance report and 24-hour reporting comes from herself. She appears to have spent $3,286.37 on her campaign. 

Matt Flower - On his campaign page, he states he holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is currently employed by UPS, where he also serves as a Teamsters' union steward. He vows he would approach "each case with impartiality, integrity, and a focus on upholding the rights of all parties involved." On his campaign literature, he claims to have the "full endorsement" of the Republican party. He was endorsed by the county executive committee, not the entire party. Slate Belt Republicans tell me they make no endorsements in contested primaries. 

Flower has a checkered past  with a string of arrests in multiple counties going back to 2002. Everything from harassment to driving without a license. He's also been involved as Plaintiff or Defendant in numerous Protection from Abuse Act matters. He also admits to "peacefully demonstrating" at the capitol insurrection on January 6, when domestic terrorists or freedom-lovers (take your pick)  ransacked the halls of Congress. He denies participating in any violence. and claims he's been "cleared" by the FBI. "I am not afraid of arrest, prison or rogue judges," he adds.

During one 2014 incident in which he allegedly tackled and strangled

Flower in blue shade

his then wife, she was pregnant. A Facebook page, No Way to Matthew L Flower, contains what purports to be text exchanges between Flower and his then wife that are pretty disgusting. He did pay a price for them in court and even he acknowledges his statements were "inappropriate." 

A sample is on the left. 

A judge has to keep his cool. He didn't. 

As a constable candidate, he pledged to refuse to enforce PFA orders. 

More recently, he was caught up in a Republican county committee kerfuffle after members discovered that his current wife was posting videos of their sexual trysts online for profit. 

Campaign finance records show that he has received $3,125, including a $1.225 loan to himself. 

Rob Kemmerer. - A graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Kemmerer has worked as a NorCo probation officer and was Director of its Pretrial Services Division. He resigned to run for this open seat. His department is responsible for making bail recommendations to magisterial district judges when a defendant is preliminarily arraigned. He is highly regarded by both the bench and bar. A prominent criminal defense lawyer told me Friday that Kemmerer could be called day and night for help in setting bail. 

He's been endorsed by the Northampton County Republican Women’s Committee, former State Representative Marcia Hahn, and former Northampton County Council President Peg Ferraro.

Campaign finance records show that he chose to self-fund his campaign instead of forming a committee and seeking contributions. He has spent $11,800.04 for the usual campaign expenses, including a consult.  

UPDATED 5/19/25, 12:30 am Originally published 5/17/25, 6:08 pm

Keegan Did Zrinski No Favor in NorCo Exec Race

Earlier this week, I took NorCo Council member Kelly Keegan to task for complaining about the "spandex ass" of a woman who dared to stand in front of her at last weekend's Bernie Sanders rally. This blue MAGA warrior also did no favors for someone she supports in this year's Exec race - Tara Zrinski. 

Zrinski, who has done an admirable job as Controller, is in a testy battle with former elections registrar Amy Cozze. Zrinski's biggest negative is that she has run for 6 offices over the past 9 years. Her second biggest negative is that she is perceived by some as simply too extreme. 

Over many years before she decided to seek public office, Zrinski has been and remains an ardent environmentalist. That's hardly extremist. I know plenty of conservatives who are environmentalists as well. Many of them are hunters and fisherman, and they understand better than most that our natural resources are finite. She has fought against sludge and landfill expansions and has worked at improving the water quality in our streams. It is only when she strays from these issues, about which she is well-informed, that she gets into trouble. That's when she gets labeled an extremist. 

So, what does Kelly Keegan do? 

She posts a picture of Zrinski, at the Bernie Sanders rally, standing with some of the most extreme Democrats in the Lehigh Valley. This includes Ce-Ce Gerlach. As you may recall, Gerlach was placed on ARD for endangering the welfare of a minor runaway that she dumped off at some homeless camp. Gerlach Voted No to several grants for Allentown police and was one of the big supporters of an employee now accused of false reports for placing a noose on her computer and calling it racial intimidation.  She also wanted to have social workers, and not police, respond to 911 calls. 

I could go over the rest of this crew and their background, but I think you get the point. Those of you from Allentown may recognize some of them. They make Bernie Sanders look like an archconservative.

Now I understand that Zrinski has almost no control over who the people are who stand next to her in a photo. I can't really blame her, But I can blame Keegan for the utter stupidity of posting that picture on Facebook. What was she thinking?

As someone who has been highly critical of Cozze for blackmailing the county with a resignation tendered just 12 days before an election, there is no way I will vote for her for anything. But that picture really shook me up. All that was missing was Taiba Sultana. 

Guess Who's Behind the Negative Mailers in This Year's LV Races?

Over the past week or so, Lehigh Valley mailboxes are getting loaded with mailers from candidates seeking local office. There have also been a few negative mailers aimed at Bethlehem City Council candidate Hillary Kwiatek, Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds, Easton City Council member Taiba Sultana and Allentown City Council member Natalie Santos. Who is behind them?

The mailers against Sultana were paid for by Pa Citizens PAC, funded exclusively by immigration lawyer Ray Lahoud.  You may recall that when Sultana ran a few short months ago for State Rep., Lahoud's PAC paid for and posted campaign signs around Easton calling Sultana "CRAZY, CHAOTIC, CRIMINAL." Most of them disappeared or were defaced in a few short hours, and state police nabbed Sultana's children (both minors and one adult) in flagrante delicto. In an effort to silence Lahoud, Sultana sued his PAC for libel. Ray appears to be undeterred. She'll have to sue again. 

The mailers against Willie Reynolds, Hillary Kwiatek and Natalie Santos were paid for by the Pa. Local Leaders Fund. My friend Jeff Ward, who publishes the very informative Lehigh Valley News Briefs, did a little digging and learned that this PAC was formed on April 22 by Ray Lahoud. Whether he is the sole funder is currently unknown. We'll know when the pre-primary reports are filed. 

Unfortunately, I have none of the mailers prepared for Allentown candidates. But I do have several. Let me post and offer my editorial observations: 

Anti-Reynolds mailer:

While the mailer is accurate, it's effectiveness is destroyed by its amateurish attempt at a Face-in-Hole picture. There's another that's a bit more damaging. 

Anti-Kwiatek Mailer:

I'd say this is pretty good. Factual and it makes Kwiatek look like an elitist who appears to be more interested in an espresso than Bethlehem's working class. 

Anti-Sultana Mailer:

This one is the best. It is accurate and exemplifies precisely why Sultana is called CRAZY, CHAOTIC, CRIMINAL. 

NorCo Voters Have Requested 23,620 Mail-in-Ballots Thus Far

At last night's NorCo Council meeting, Executive Lamont McClure reported that voters have requested 23,620 mail-in-ballots (MIB) so far. At that pace, the number of MIBs should easily exceed the municipal primary four years ago, where there were a grand total of 16.010 MIBs counted on election day. 

The last day for requesting a MIB is May 13.  If you want, you can apply for a MIB online. 

The elections office has received 5,531 MIBs and have recorded 5,431 as valid. The remaining 100 are missing dates and/or signatures, and both party chairs have been notified so they can contact these voters to cure any defects. The elections office is attempting to reach these voters as well. 

The last day to register to vote or change party registration is TODAY. 

Since this is a primary election with no ballot questions, only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote.  

Lackawanna County Sends Wrong Mail-in-Ballots to 545 GOP Voters

Lackawanna County, as a result of what elections officials call a "printer's error," sent the wrong Mail-in-Ballot (MIB) to 545 Republican voters. Instead of receiving a ballot for this year's primary, they were sent a ballot for the 2024 primary. This error has been corrected.

Lackawanna sent out over 12,000 MIBs total.

Lackawanna is still a Democratic county, unlike other Northeast Pa counties. It voted for Harris. Understandably, Republicans are suspicious that the wrong ballot would be sent to their voters.  A news release from the "PaGOP" asserts, "Elections should never be this sloppy. Taxpayers deserve a county government that functions and a process they can trust. These kinds of mistakes need to be taken seriously, and they need to stop happening."

"The people of Lackawanna County deserve competence, not chaos."

It's sad to see this error because, even though it has been corrected, it gives Republicans another reason to distrust MIBs. Only about a third of the MIBs are being used by Republican voters, and this hurts them in the long run. 

NorCo Seeks Pollworkers

From Northampton County Elections Office:  Northampton County Elections Office reminds registered voters who live in Northampton County that they are seeking workers for poll worker positions for the upcoming Municipal Primary Election on Tuesday, May 20th, and Municipal General Election on Tuesday, November 4th.

 Every year, elections in Northampton County are made possible by citizens who serve as poll workers. These people do the important work of checking in voters at polling places and setting them up with a ballot. At the end of the night, poll workers deliver the returns to county election officials. The County depends on these workers to ensure fair, accurate, and legal elections.

 

Poll workers must attend mandatory training prior to the Primary Election and are also paid for their training time and work on Election Day. Northampton County poll workers may earn between $175 and $200 for serving all of Election Day, depending on the poll worker’s assignments and training. Typical Election Day hours are from 6:30 a.m. until after the polls close at 8 p.m. Individuals who bring supplies back to the Government Center receive additional compensation and mileage.

 

Registered voters interested in becoming poll workers in your community, email the Northampton County Elections Office at election@norcopa.gov or call 610-829-6260.

 

Our democracy increases in strength the more we all participate.

In-Person Voting and Drop Box Locations For May's Election in NorCo

From Northampton County: The Northampton County Elections Office announces that Ballot-on-Demand voting for the Tuesday, May 20^th Municipal Primary Election will be available starting Monday, April 21, 2025, at the Northampton County Elections Office (Government Center, 669 Washington Street, Lower Level, Easton, PA 18042).

 

Registered Democratic and Republican Party voters in Northampton County can vote in person on the following dates:

 

•  Monday, April 21st – Friday, April 25th (8:30 am – 6:00 pm)
•  Saturday, April 26th (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
•  Monday, April 28th – Friday, May 2nd (8:30 am - 6:00 pm)
•  Saturday, May 3rd (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
•  Monday, May 5th – Friday, May 9th (8:30 am – 6:00 pm)
•  Saturday, May 10th (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
•  Monday, May 12th (8:30 – 6:00 pm)
• The LAST day for Ballot-on-Demand will be Tuesday, May 13th (8:30 am - 5:00 pm)

 

During this time, Northampton County residents who are eligible to vote can come to the Elections Office, register if they still need to, fill out a ballot application, which will be processed immediately, and be handed a ballot over the counter. Voters may fill out the ballot in the office and return it the same day, OR they may take it home and mail it back via USPS (postage prepaid) or utilize one of the seven secure Ballot Drop Boxes throughout the County.

 

You must bring a valid ID with you to the Elections Office to receive a ballot. The County’s seven secure ballot drop-off boxes will be installed April 21, 2025.

 

Registered voters who have already applied for a mail-in ballot ARE NOT ELIGIBLE for Ballot-on-Demand and must wait to receive their ballot in the mail.

 

To ensure that your mail-in ballot is accepted:

•  Your ballot MUST BE enclosed in the YELLOW secrecy envelope and sealed;
• Do NOT write anywhere on the YELLOW envelope. There can be NO identifying marks or symbols;
• The  PURPLE return envelope must be signed and dated on the back in the appropriate YELLOW boxes;
•  The ballot must be returned to the Election’s Office NO LATER THAN 8:00 pm on Election night, Tuesday, May 20^th. USPS postmarks do NOT count if received after this deadline.

Drop Box Locations and times

·        Washington Township Municipal Building (Interior Hallway):

1021 Washington Blvd., Bangor, PA 18013

Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00am-4:00pm; Friday 7:00am-3:00pm

Election Day: 7:00am-4:00pm

 

·        East Allen Township Municipal Building (Main Lobby):

5344 Nor Bath Blvd., Northampton, PA 18067

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-3:30pm

Election Day: 8:30am-3:30pm

 

·        NCC Fowler Family Southside Center (Main Lobby):

511 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, PA 18015

Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00am-9:00pm, Friday 7:00am-8:30pm, Saturday 7:00am-2:00pm

Election Day: 7:00am-8:00pm

 

·        Northampton County Courthouse (Rotunda):

669  Washington St., Easton, PA 18042

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-6:00pm, Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm

Election Day: 8:30am-8:00pm

 

·        Northampton County Human Services Building (Main Entrance Vestibule):

2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18020

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-7:00pm, Saturday 8:00am-2:00pm

Election Day: 8:30am-7:00pm

 

·        Northampton County 911 Center (Main Entrance Vestibule):

100 Gracedale Ave., Nazareth, PA 18064

Hours: 24 Hours/7 Days a week

Election Day: Until 8:00pm

 

·        Bethlehem City Hall (Main Lobby):

10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm

Election Day: 7:00am-8:00pm

 

Accessing drop-off boxes does not require going through security at any location. Applications for mail-in and civilian absentee ballots are available in the Election’s Office or at this link: www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin

 

The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 13th. All seven drop boxes will be available for Northampton County voters.

Five Candidates To Avoid in May

 

Not because they're "Democratic Socialists," whatever that is, but because they are the worst possible quintuplet to hold elective office.

Santos and Sultana have been disasters in Allentown and Easton, respectively. Both are routinely absent. Santos just votes whatever way Ce-Ce Gerlach to vote, and Sultana accuses everyone in Easton of being racist, sexist and whatever "ist" she can think of at the moment. Neither cares about the people they should be representing. 

Qayyum is Sultana's husband and has already run unsuccessfully for magisterial disrict judge and controller. He's the idiot who circulated a petition on behalf of his wife that contained the forged signature of State Senator Lisa Boscola. He thinks that a county council can enact a minimum wage. 

Palmer, an active participant is just about every Allentown protest, has lost several attempts to get elected in Allentown to something, anything. 

Stemrich's website includes this statement: "Fuck facism [sic] in all forms." He should at least learn how to spell the word before he fucks it, don't you think? He claims to have been a journalist but is apparently more like a blogger because he is unable to spell. 

PJ Craig Dally Decides 13 Challenges to Nomination Petitions for Municipal Primary Ballot

Below are President Judge Craig Dally's decisions in 13 challenges to the nomination petitions filed by 12 candidates for this year's municipal primary. I posted Judge Dally's decisions yesterday at 5:01 pm and am updating this story now with my observations. Although I missed the hearings as a result of allergies, my brother was present for a few of them and shared some of his observations with me.

1) Failure to File a Timely Statement of Financial Interests with the Governing Body is Usually a Fatal Error. - Five of the 13 challenges considered by the court involved allegations that a candidate failed to file a timely Statement of Financial Interests, also called an Ethics Statement, with the governing body of the municipality in which election is being sought. It never ceases to amaze me how many candidates make this mistake.

When a nomination petition is filed in the elections office, a SFI is attached. But Pa. law requires that the SFI must also be filed with the governing body, and within the same time frame that nomination petitions themselves are due. The legislature has expressly stated that failure to file this statement is a "fatal defect to a petition to appear on the ballot," and that is how courts have interpreted it. In Northampton County, Executive candidate George Ginople was rejected from the ballot for this error, and in 1997, Judge Jack Panella tossed Jack Bradt from the NorCo Council ballot for the same infraction. 

Patti Bruno, running for a seat on County Council, has managed several campaigns. It is simply astonishing to me that she would make this kind of mistake. But she did. Now Democrats have just five candidates for County Council, and it's an incredibly weak field. Nadeem Qayyum, at a recent Democratic breakfast, promised to raise the minimum wage, something over which county government has no control. 

Bruno can appeal this decision or try to stage a write-in campaign. But that would require work, which is not her strong suit. 

Bruno's petition was challenged by Ed Nelson, who was Upper Mount Tp Manager and was a strong advocate for Lou Pektor's Riverpointe, which has been controversial because it is being taxpayer subsidized and could include warehouses. Be that as it may, Amazon wants to build a data center, not a warehouse, at that site. That means lots of jobs in a municipality starving for real estate tax revenue. It could be that Bruno was viewed as an obstacle.

2) The Objector Must Belong to the Same Party as the Candidate Being Challenged. - Richard Cantwell in Stockertown challenged a candidate for Borough Council but belongs to another party.  He had no standing. 

3) An Elector Signing a Nomination Petition Can Use His Mailing Address Instead of the Precise Municipality. -  Three Lower Saucon Council candidates were challenged by David Boulin because some electors wrote "Hellertown/LST" instead of listing the proper municipality. Judge Dally pointed out that a voter who signs a nomination petition can use his mailing address (so long as it's in the same district) or list the actual municipality. Many Lower Saucon Tp residents have Hellertown mailing addresses, and Boulin used this to invalidate ballot access to three candidates. During the hearing, my brother told me that Judge Dally advised Boulin that once he has dug himself a hole, he should stop. He didn't. 

4) Lance Wheeler Denied Ballot Access for Easton City Council West Ward. - Once it became apparent that Wheeler failed to get the required 100 signatures, my brother reports he decided to withdraw and would instead mount a write-in campaign. According to several sources, he acted unprofessionally in a court where he once served as King Tipstaff, and in the hallway outside, made nasty remarks to Susan Eagle, who had challenged his petition. Her attorney had to escort her to her car. 

Two years ago, Lance used a candidates' night on the south side to attack Mayor Sal Panto and told the voters he didn't care whether he got elected. He apparently still does not care. 

NorCo Election Challenge Decisions by BernieOHare on Scribd

(UPDATED) Easton South Side Civic Ass'n Hosts Candidates' Night For County, City and School Board Candidates

As a result of a conflict, I was unable to attend Easton South Side's candidates' night for county, city and EASD races this year.  Thanks to Patsy Hitzel, you and I are both able to view a Facebook Live for those who are seeking office this year. 

All three judicial candidates - Jeremy Clark, Bob Eyer and James Fuller - were there and responded to several questions posed by a panel who gathered them from the audience. In his opening remarks, Fuller said he approached his former soccer coach and asked him to sign his petition, only to learn that the coach had already signed one for Jeremy Clark.

"I played soccer for you for two years!" complained Fuller. The coach did give him a consolation prize - Fuller can put a sign in the coach's yard. 

All three Executive candidates - Tara Zrinski, Tom Giovanni and Amy Cozze - were also there. They were asked to respond to questions about poor employee morale. Zrinski said that problem, does not exist in her office because she makes sure they are appreciated and know it. She got each of them a step increase. Cozze said county employees need higher salaries and more resources. Giovanni said morale is low and that needs to change. "Without them [the county staff], the work does not get done," said the Quiet Man. All agreed that Gracedale, the county nursing home, needs to remain county-owned.  

There were several no-shows among County Council candidates. Patti Bruno was there, but left after being served with a petition challenge seeking to remove her from the ballot for failing to file her Statement of Financial Interests with the Clerk of County Council. That is a fatal defect. "Well, I guess I don't need to be here," she said after being served according to several people who were there. 

Nadeem Qayyum, who is married to polarizing City Council member Taiba Sultana, was absent without explanation. 

The other no-shows - Jason Boulette, Terri Fadem and Sam Elias - had conflicts. Boulette had a conflicting Wind Gap Borough Council meeting, so his wife stood in for him. Fadem had a conflicting Hellertown Borough Council meeting. Elias is a Bethlehem police officer, and Maria Montero spoke on his behalf. 

The remaining candidates - John Brown, John Goffredo, Dave Holland, Juan Martinez, Daniel Campo and Lori Vargo Heffner - were there in person. 

Four years ago, Republican Northampton County Council candidates eschewed Democratic strongholds like Easton as well as this blog. Their jejune attitude has changed, and it was nice to see. 

Brown told the audience that, notwithstanding what pundits might say, "local government has the greatest impact on your life." 

It was my first chance to hear from Campo, a Venezuelan immigrant and cargo pilot who also serves as a volunteer firefighter, said he has perspective from three different countries, and knows that "government doesn't always work as efficiently as it should." 

Goffredo, who is probably Council's most unabashed conservative, acknowledged that he sometimes "says things that are not popular to say," and pledged to keep it up. 

Dave Holland, believe it or not, is a Southsider who grew up on Williams Street. He is currently a nursing professor, but voters should probably know that he also served as an administrator at Gracedale. 

Juan Martinez is a successful restauranteur throughout the Lehigh Valley and wants to give back to the community.

Lori Vargo Heffner is a practicing psychotherapist, and if one is needed anywhere, it's at Northampton County Council. "We are the check and balance function of government," she stated, and that attitude has made life difficult for her as a Council member who has sometimes disagreed with the Executive. "We're not here to just give somebody what they want, we're here to work together and represent you and your interests." 

Easton City Council West Ward. - Sharbel Koorie, a former Easton code inspector, owns the very popular Daddy's Place and "has a lot of love for the city."  Julie Zando-Dennis recited her background. Lance Wheeler was a no-show. I am informed his nomination petition has been challenged, which I will confirm tomorrow when I check on challenges. 

Easton City Council South Side - Susan Hartranft Bittenger is a lifetime south side resident who lives un the home where she grew up. She is finishing her second term as a school board member and is an insurance investigator. "I would do anything for them [south side residents] and would always be a good advocate."  Taiba Sultana, like her husband, was a no-show. 

Easton City Council District One - Frank Graziano is a lifelong Easton resident and serves on both the Planning Commission and Block Watch. Roger Ruggles was a no-show. 

Interestingly, Sultana and Qayyum skipped this south side candidates' night to attend the general monthly meeting of the Lehigh Valley Democratic Socialists of America. According to her Facebook page she was there. "It's a privilege to speak at the Lehigh Valley DSA meeting, where we're building a movement that embodies the values of justice, equity, and solidarity. I'm excited to be part of this momentum and look forward to continuing our push for meaningful change."

Updated 8:19 am. 

Updated 2:20 pm

Easton's South Side Civic Ass'n To Host County and City Candidates Tonight

I attended a candidates' night hosted by the couth side civic ass'n two years ago. I left with a wealth of knowledge about each candidate. Unfortunately, very few people attend these events other than those who are working for the campaigns. That's sad because you learn a lot by being there. I wish I could go but have a conflict I'm unable to break. If there is a Facebook Live, I will watch and link. 

What: Meet and Greet Candidates for Easton City Council, NorCo Judge NorCo Exec, NorCo Council and EASD school board (both parties welcome) 

When: Tonight, 6:30 pm.

Where: Shiloh Enrichment Center, 548 Canal St, Easton, Pa.

Who's Running in NorCo? Elections Office Has "Unofficial" List

Yesterday, all nomination petitions for elected office were due in our elections office. If someone is still knocking on your door today, you might want to tell him he's too late. 

In NorCo, the Elections office has posted an unofficial list of primary candidates. You can see it yourself here. It's unofficial because there could be challenges to these petitions. 

Below are the most relevant races:

NorCo Judge - Bob Eyer and Jeremy Clark have cross-filed with the Department of State. James Fuller is only seeking the Republican nomination. 

NorCo Exec. - Democrats Amy Cozze or Tara Zrinski will face Republican Tom Giovanni. A news release from the Zrinski campaign claims she obtained 1,453 signatures, well beyond the required 259 needed. Cozze has reported the endorsement of former US Senator Bob Casey, her former boss. Tom Giovanni reports having 800 signatures. 

NorCo Council - Five at-large seats up for grabs. Running on the Republican side are John Brown (inc.), John Goffredo (inc.), Juan E. Martinez, Sam Elias and Daniel Campo. Running on the Democrat side are Lori Vargo Heffner (inc.), Jason Boulette, Nadeen Qayyum, David Holland, Theresa Fadem, and Patti Bruno. Bruno, who still uses a photo that looks nothing like her, claims to have obtained 577 signatures. 

Magisterial District Judge (Wind Gap area) - Democrat Ellen Kingsley and Republicans Robert Kemmerer and Matt Flower have cross-filed. 

Bethlehem Mayor - Willie Reynolds (inc.) faces a primary challenge from Grace Crampsie Smith. No Republican is running. 

Bethlehem City Council (four seats) - Democrats Rachel Leon (inc.), Justin Amann, Tina Cantelmi, Hillary Kwiatek (inc.), Celeste Dee and Jo Daniels seek their party's nod. Only one Republican, Joseph Poplawski, is running. 

Easton City Council (College Hill) - Democrat Roger Ruggles (inc.) faces a primary challenge from Frank Graziano III. No Republican has filed. 

Easton City Council (south side) - Democrat Taiba Sultana (inc.) is being primaried by Susan Hartranft Bittenger. No Republican has filed. Although Sultana has alienated just about everyone on the south side, she claims 350 signatures. My guess is that she plans to run for Congress after she gets crushed. 

Easton City Council (west ward) - Democrats Lance Wheeler and Julie Zando-Dennis are running against each other. Republican Sharbel Koorie will face the winner of that race in November. 

Provisional Ballot Challenge Withdrawn in NorCo

As we all know, Senator Bob Casey has conceded in the race between him and Dave McCormick. I wish he had done so far sooner instead of insisting on an expensive recount and spawning litigation in numerous counties over challenges to provisional ballots. But now that Casey has finally thrown in the towel, McCormich has withdrawn his challenges in NorCo. He did so late Friday. Presumably he will be withdrawing them in several other counties as well.

This is good and bad. Now that the objections are off the table, NorCo can go ahead and certify the election. What's bad is that some of the questions raised by these challenges are unresolved. We'll be getting no answer from Judge Dally because there's no longer anything in front of him. So let me ask you how, if you were a judge, you would answer these three issues. You can read my summary of points made by the litigants here. 

1) Should the Court accept provisional ballots from 5 voters who checked in, but were unable to stand in long lines to vote by machine because of work and doctor appointments, especially when the Judge of Elections testifies they did not vote on the machine?

(I would have allowed these votes)

2)  Should the Court accept provisional ballots from 26 voters who failed to sign the provisional ballot envelope, even though the judge of elections and minority inspector attested to these nonexistent signatures, when the elections code states that these ballots must be signed at two separate locations and specifically adds that the vote shall not be counted if either signature is missing?

(The law is very clear and we are also bound by the Supreme Court's own ruling on this point.)

3) Should the Court accept 164 provisional ballots properly executed by the voters, when either the Judge of Elections, Minority Inspector or both failed to attest to the electors' autographs, especially when the law does not really specifically mandate these signatures? 

(I would have allowed these votes, as Lehigh County did. A voter should not be penalized for mistakes made by elections officials, and it's unclear to me whether elections officials were really required to attest to the provisional ballot).