Council squabbles about election day woes, solutions
MEDIA » As the judges of elections are scheduled to pick up their materials at the courthouse Saturday for Tuesday’s primary, some members of Delaware County Council want instructions to be clearly communicated what to do if issues arose.
This surfaced after Sheriff Jerry Sanders issued a memo, then rescinded it, stating that any department employee working at a polling place on Election Day would be dismissed. This memo was circulated following complaints of incidents in the fall election surrounding behaviors of sheriff’s deputies, as outlined in a letter written from the county Democrats to the county Board of Elections. That letter referenced one situation in which a deputy allegedly showed their badge and gun when asked for identification.
At Wednesday’s council meeting, Democratic council members said they supported Sanders’ actions and said the election process, and failure to investigate these allegations, should be evaluated.
Councilman Brian Zidek, a Democrat, said sheriff’s deputies shouldn’t be sent as messengers for the Board of Elections solicitor.
“We should all strive for fair elections where voters feel free to vote for their candidate of choice, free from coercion or intimidation,” he said. “Pennsylvania law requires this and it’s time for our Board of Elections that they take this responsibility seriously.”
Councilman Michael Culp, a Republican, said he was concerned that the sheriff was “writing memos based on the opinion of unverified allegations from the Delaware County Democratic solicitor.”
In addition, Culp said he was concerned that the Democratic attorney, Manly Parks, was holding meetings with the county judges of elections telling them to call the Democratic Party on Election Day if problems occur.
“Instructing them that should an issue arise to contact the Democratic Party and not the Election Board or the Election Bureau, whose duty it is to ensure this election is clean and fair, reeks of impropriety,” he said.
Councilman Kevin Madden, a Democrat, said he understood the sheriff’s position.
“You’re reading about allegations of sheriff’s deputies flashing firearms and their badge, that would be deeply disturbing to me as the leader of that department,” he said. “What’s disturbing to me is that memo was put forth in December that has some troubling allegations and nothing happens in the five months time since then ... We don’t want sheriff’s deputies out in the field intimidating voters and the fact that the Board of Elections didn’t do a single thing ... that’s what’s of concern. That needs to be investigated.”
Board of Elections Solicitor Francis Catania said there was nothing to investigate from that letter, which he labeled “a political commercial” because of the lack of specifics.
“When the Board of Elections isn’t taking action, I’m glad that our sheriff took action upon himself to make sure that his department didn’t act in a way that compromised the elections,” Madden said.
Of the sheriff, Zidek added, “I think he’s to be commended for trying to promote fair and free elections. He doesn’t want his deputies representing his office in favor of Republicans or Democrats. He’s saying, ‘Just stay out of it.’
“And I would say,” he continued, “I do welcome greater scrutiny on the entire election process. Free and fair elections are obviously the foundation for our democracy. There are a number of communities and a number of people within Delaware County that feel there is intimidation, there is coercion in the elections and whether that comes from Republicans or Democrats, we should be investigating all these instances and making sure that people are free to vote.”
Culp said the Board of Elections would have investigated these incidents if there had been any substance to them. The board is a three- member entity with representatives from both parties.
Culp said Gerald Lawrence, a Democrat, could have addressed the incident with the sheriff’s deputy and the gun at a prior meeting, had he so chosen.
“He had every opportunity to bring up these alleged unfair allegations,” he said, adding that had their been supporting evidence to them, Lawrence, “would have brought them up, but he neglected to do so.”
Council Vice Chairman Colleen Morrone, a Republican, said Saturday would be an opportune time to reiterate or state to the judges of elections what the process is when an issue happens.
“It’s an opportunity to make sure that everybody is familiar with the procedures of what to do if there are issues at the polling places,” she said.
County Council Chairman John McBlain, a Republican, said he spoke directly with Sanders.
“I think everyone of all parties agree that any uniformed officer should not be actively participating,” McBlain said, adding that he simply didn’t know if the firearms incident occurred last fall.
He said he was assured that Sanders was working with the county Bureau of Elections to coordinate assistance with whatever their needs would be.
“On Election Day, we want to make sure things are fair and conducted in a professional manner,” McBlain said. “I have every confidence in the world that our Election Board, Sheriff Sanders, this council (and) the employees of Delaware County will do that.”