Public Notice Given to Hear Election Complaints

Posted: Wednesday, September 5, 2018 by Pezzonovante in Labels: , , , , ,
0

Public Notice has been given that the election complaints filed respectively by PA GOP Chairman Val DiGiorgio and by Fayette County Democrat Party Chairman George Rattay will be heard on Monday, September 10, 2018 beginning at 9 a.m. with the Republican complaint and continuing at 10 a.m. with the Democrat complaint. 

The Voter Registration Commission, comprised of Angela Zimmerlink, Mark Rowan, and Herbert Mitchell, Jr., will hold a hearing on the Republican complaint which alleges violations of of the Voter Registration Act under 25 C.S.A. § 1711(a)(3).


25 C.S.A. § 1711(a)(3)
(a) Prohibition.--No person may do any of the following:
(3) Intentionally give or promise or offer to give money or goods to an individual as an inducement for the individual to enroll in a particular party or for a registrant to change political enrollment.

The Republican complaint contained an exhibit with photographic evidence that the Democrat booth at the Fayette County Fair had a sign offering inducements to registrants to either register Democrat or to change party affiliation.  At the top, the inducement sign reads, "REGISTER HERE TO VOTE AND WIN!"  At the bottom, the inducement sign reads, "must register democrat or change your party to democrat."

Other photographs have surfaced.  Among those pictured with the inducement signs at the Democrat fair booth are Fayette County Commissioner Vincent Vicites, write-in Democrat Nominee for the 32nd Senatorial District Pamela Gerard, Democrat Nominee for the 52nd Legislative District Ethan Keedy, and Democrat Nominee for the 51st Legislative District Timothy S. Mahoney.

The Democrat complaint alleges former Fayette County Republican Party Chairman Dave Show, a current committee member, violated the Local Option Small Games of Chance laws by selling illegal raffle tickets.  While the Democrat complaint alleges possible violations of the election code and also seeks a thorough investigation of current Senator Pat Stefano, current State Representatives Matthew Dowling and Ryan Warner, and other Republican committee members to determine any illegality and the extent of any participation, conspicuously absent from the Democrat complaint is any allegation of a direct violation of the Pennsylvania Election Code or a specific citation of the law in the election code alleged to have been broken.


0 comments: