Monday, May 20, 2013
Two Republicans and two Democrats will be on the ballots of both political parties Tuesday.
Four Montgomery County residents are hoping to fill two open seats in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in January, but the first step is making it past the Primary Election, in which all of the candidates are cross-filed. Republican candidates Sharon Giamporcaro and Maureen Coggins will be on the Republican and Democrat ballots, as will Democrats Steven Tolliver and Gail Weilheimer. Here is a look at the four candidates: Maureen Coggins of Upper Hanover Township Maureen Coggins is a Montgomery County attorney with over 20 years of courtroom experience, including eight years as a prosecutor with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, including serving as chief of the Major Crimes and Special Prosecutions unit. As the…
Sunday, May 19, 2013
The U.S. Census Bureau says black turnout nationwide, by percentage, exceeded white turnout last year for the first time.
A recent U.S. Census Bureau report shows that blacks had the highest voter turnout among racial identifications in the 2012 general election. Nationwide, 66.2 percent of black citizens voted, exceeding for the first time the turnout of white voters, which was 64.1 percent. In 2008, 66.1 percent of whites voted, to 64.7 percent of blacks. Back in 1996, white turnout was 60.7 percent and black turnout was 53 percent. Black turnout also exceeded white turnout in Pennsylvania last year, 65.2 percent to 62.5 percent. Read a Huffington Post report on the census findings, and see below for statistics comparing other voting demographics: Voter turnout is expected to be far lower in Tuesday's off-year primary election. Polls will be open from 7 a…
Saturday, May 18, 2013
One poll suggests that, while Pennsylvania voters might support medical marijuana use, they aren't in favor of legal pot.
Pennsylvania voters aren't in favor of legalizing marijuana, according to one pole. The Frankin and Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters for May 2013 showed that 54 percent of voters polled opposed to legalizing marijuana in the state. A similar F&M Poll at the beginning of February found that 55 percent of respondants were against legalizing marijuana. While voters don't support its outright legalization, 82 percent of those polled favor the use of marijuana for medical reasons if prescribed by a doctor. The poll, which was conducted between April 30 and May 5, gathered responses from 526 registered voters, including 265 Democrats, 196 Republicans and 65 Independents. The full poll is available for review here. The following …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, a Democrat, announced Tuesday that he's exploring another run for the Senate; Sestak narrowly lost to Pat Toomey in 2010.
A rematch between former U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak and U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is in the works as Sestak announced Tuesday that he's exploring a run for the Senate in 2016. Democrat Sestak, a former Navy vice admiral, lost narrowly to Republican Toomey in 2010. Sestak, of Delaware County, has formed an exploratory committee—the equivalent of launching a campaign in terms of Federal Elections Commission paperwork, according to a Washington Post report. Can Sestak beat Toomey? Who would you vote for if the Senate election was held today? Tell us in the comments section below. Tuesday's announcement ends speculation that Sestak, 61, is raising money to challenge Gov. Tom Corbett. Sestak raised $460,000 in the first quarter of this year. A Sestak-…
Thursday, May 2, 2013
County Republicans say the interim Voter Services director's involvement with a Democratic political committee is evidence of 'cronyism.' Castor: 'Everyone associated with this process has acted honorably.'
The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners on Thursday continued to face questions regarding the recent dismissal of Joseph Passarella, the former long-time head of the county's Voter Services department, as the county's Republican committee pointed to his interim replacement's erstwhile role in a Democratic political committee as evidence of "Philadelphia-style political cronyism." Passarella was dismissed April 17 after almost two decades in the post. Commissioner Bruce Castor led off Thursday's meeting of the Board of Commissioners with a statement directly addressing the "public controversy," saying that he believed "everyone associated with this process has acted honorably and in the belief that they were doing what they thought …
Sunday, April 21, 2013
It's not too late to register to vote in the Primary Election.
The last day to register to vote in the May 21 Primary Election is Monday, April 22. You have until the end of business Monday to register. With a Montgomery County shaping up to likely be a hotbed of excitement with both Alyson Schwartz and the still-possible Bruce Castor taking a primary run at Pennsylvania governor, it could be a great time to be a Montco voter. Individuals applying to register to vote must be: Montgomery County answers some questions about voter registration here. Download a voter registration form in the pdf section of this article.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Joseph Passarella had led the county's Voter Services department since 1994. He reportedly was terminated Wednesday.
Last updated 4:45 p.m. Thursday Montgomery County officials were tight-lipped Thursday about the circumstances surrounding the apparent dismissal Wednesday of Joseph Passarella, who had run the county's Voter Services department since 1994. Passarella's termination was first reported Thursday morning by The Intelligencer, which cited unnamed sources who said Passarella was called into a noon meeting by unspecified county administrators on Wednesday and informed he was being immediately removed from his post. County Commissioner Leslie Richards, who also serves as chair of the county's Board of Elections, cited the county's policy of declining to comment on "personnel issues" when asked Thursday about both Passarella's departure and whether…
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Previously ran against Corbett in 2004 Pa. Attorney General primary
Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor could challenge Pa. Governor Tom Corbett in 2014, PoliticsPA reports. The 51-year-old former district attorney and Lower Salford resident is the minority Republican on the county's 3-person executive and legislative board, alongside Democrats Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards. Castor told the political news website that he believes Corbett is "vulnerable" to a reelection challenge. Corbett and Castor have a storied history, including a 2004 Republican primary race for Attorney General. The Republican State Committee endorsed Corbett for the post and Castor ran a grassroots campaign throughout the state, losing the nomination by five points. Castor has served on the Board of Commissioners since …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Teva Pharmaceuticals, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of generic drugs, gave thousands in campaign dollars to Pennsylvania lawmakers.
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Friday, November 9, 2012
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent HARRISBURG — One of the world’s largest generic drug manufacturers, known for its morning-after pill, has given hundreds of thousands in campaign funds to Pennsylvania politicians. Teva Pharmaceuticals captured headlines this fall, when its Plan B One-Step was offered for free to high school students along with contraception and health-care services through a New York City program. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, the company’s political action committee, spent more on campaign dollars this year than in the past. Donations totaled more than $275,000, compared with around $138,000 in 2010 and $47,000 in 2008, according to election money tracker OpenSecrets.org. In 2012, the PAC gave: In the U.S. Senate, …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Pennsylvania Democrats achieved a historic swing in the state Senate Tuesday
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Thursday, November 8, 2012
Democrats picked up net three state Senate seats Tuesday - their biggest gain since 1970 and the largest swing since the GOP won four seats in 1994, according to a PoliticsPa report. The party went three for three in open seats, picking up districts formerly held by Republicans. According to PoliticsPa: "The big night will immediately shift the balance of power in the Senate, where Republicans had held a 30 to 20 majority. Now, they’ll have 27 seats to 23 for the Democrats. The math is important. The Senate Republicans have consistently tempered more conservative legislative efforts from House Republicans, in part because the Senate caucus contains half a dozen moderates – mostly from southeast Pennsylvania. Now, they’ll have to moderate …
Liberty 1
7:45 pm on Monday, May 20, 2013
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