Election board appointments spark a big political brawl

MEDIA » Members of Delaware County Council duked it out Wednesday over appointing members to the county Board of Elections, which oversees ballot questions and the county election bureau.

Republicans accused Democrats of a power grab and Democrats blasted GOP “machine” politics.

Membership of the threemember board was at issue. It has long been dominated, 2-1, by Republicans. The county Home Rule Charter states that two of the seats should go to the party with the largest vote total cast for county council in the most recent election. Democrats swept the ballot last November, electing Brian Zidek and Kevin Madden to county council as well as taking the offices of sheriff, controller and register of wills.

The Democratic councilmen provided three letters from county Democratic Party Chairman David Landau stating that the county party “strongly” supported Gerald Lawrence, a longtime election board member, and Trisha Hall or Elaine Schaefer. Councilman Michael Culp, a Republican, nominated Lawrence and Joseph Possenti, a former Aston commissioner who switched from the GOP to the Democratic Party almost a decade ago.

Zidek and Madden were concerned about the legitimacy of Possenti serving as a Democratic representative on the board.

“When I asked him how his interest in the board of elections came forth, his answer was that he got a call from (county GOP) Chairman Andy Reilly, in part asking him if he’d be interest in serving on the board of elections,” Madden said. “It’s hard for me to think through any sense of common sense that this is someone who represents the Democratic Party.”

“We live in a time when the rule of law is under attack all the time , we question the authority of the FBI, the CIA, we watch out for foreign powers who are meddling in our elections,” Zidek said. “For us here in Delaware County to play partisan games with a board of elections that is meant to secure the integrity of this electoral process, I think is appalling.”

Council Chairman John McBlain, a Republican, said the “interpretation as proposed by Mr. Zidek and Mr. Madden only further attack that rule of law … You believe that I am obligated to vote whoever the chairman of the Democratic Party tells me to vote for.”

While Zidek and Madden said they didn’t think McBlain was obligated, Madden added, “I think this is new grounds and to ignore such a letter from the chairman of the party that is majority is a pretty strong thing to do.”

For the majority representatives, Lawrence got

the votes of Zidek, Madden, Culp and McBlain. Possenti got votes from Culp, McBlain and council Vice Chairman Colleen Morrone, also a Republican. Zidek and Madden also voted for Schaefer, who did not receive enough votes to be appointed.

Carmen Belefonte, the longtime Republican representative on the board, received votes from Madden, Culp, McBlain and Morrone. Zidek opposed his appointment.

Landau and Reilly continued to feud after the meeting.

“This is a play right out of the John McClure playbook,” said Landau, referring to the legendary former county Republican boss. He said he’s considering litigation.

“Apparently, we’re still in that era. The Republican Party chairman goes out and recruits the so-called Democrat to sit on the election board. It’s bosses and

the machines at its worst,” Landau said.

Reilly said he ran into Possenti after the election and Possenti asked him about getting involved. Reilly said he instructed him to send a letter of interest about the upcoming election board position to county Clerk Anne Coogan.

“It was David Landau’s intent to appoint two Democrat operatives to the Delaware County Election Board and fire Republican employees of the Election Bureau ... I don’t think it is fair to fire someone because of their party affiliation and ruin their lives. These employees are supporting

families. I am glad that … county council stood up against Landau’s partisan demands,” said Reilly.

Attempts to reach Possenti Wednesday were not successful.

Landau said the actions of county council were an attempt “to defeat what the voters did. People wanted change. They now (Wednesday) deprived us of that.”

He said it was a significant issue as the integrity of the elections are at stake.

“We are certainly considering going to court over this,” Landau said. “We’re looking at it very seriously.”

Reilly said Landau could file his lawsuit.

“Although the county Home Rule Charter is clear and that county council followed the law, it does not surprise me that David Landau would threaten a lawsuit in an effort to get the matter before a partisan court just like the Democrats did with the congressional redistricting case,” Reilly said.

“We live in a time when the rule of law is under attack all the time , we question the authority of the FBI, the CIA, we watch out for foreign powers who are meddling in our elections. For us here in Delaware County to play partisan games with a board of elections that is meant to secure the integrity of this electoral process, I think is appalling.”

— Brian Zidek, Democratic member of Delaware County Council