×

Judge removes candidate for Altoona City Council

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County judge has ordered the removal of a candidate for Altoona City Council after a review of his nomination petition identified 51 invalid signatures of the 133 offered.

Judge Elizabeth Doyle ruled Wednesday that Ron Adams of Altoona did not present the minimum 100 valid signatures required for council candidates, so the judge ordered his petition be set aside.

Adams said Wednesday that he’s not giving up and will follow through on plans to run as a write-in candidate.

“Some people said I should bail out and run again in two years,” Adams said. “But I’m not giving up. I would rather people know me as the guy who went up against the odds.”

Doyle’s ruling is the latest decision to the challenges presented to five candidates who sought to get their names on the May primary ballot.

On Friday, the judge ruled that Samantha Paule, also a candidate for Altoona City Council, should be removed for failing to present 100 valid signatures, and that Hollidaysburg Area School Board candidate Hailey Barger should be removed for failing to file a financial interest statement with the school district.

On Tuesday, the judge found that no expense money is owed to Lois Kaneshiki who challenged the Republican candidacy of Nikki Varner for Hollidaysburg Area School Board, also for failing to file a financial interest statement before deadline. Varner answered the challenge by withdrawing from that ticket and Kaneshiki asked to be reimbursed for filing expenses totaling $115.50.

Doyle said she found no legal reason to grant Kaneshiki’s request, pointing to the absence of fraud, bad faith or misconduct.

“The record here is that the petitioner filed and prevailed, by the mere act of filing,” Doyle said.

The judge has one remaining candidacy challenge to address which will determine if Troy Wright remains on the ballot as a candidate for magisterial district judge in southern Blair County.

On the Adams’ candidacy, Doyle reviewed challenges to the signatures based on their lack of voter registration, wrong party affiliation and other challenges made by petitioner William Strasser.

Adams told the court that some signers told him they would be changing parties so they could vote for him. But Doyle said the law requires the signer to be a member of the party designated on the nominating petition at the time of the signing.

Adams also tried to challenge mistakes made by signers who put their zip codes in spaces designated for the date of signing. Adams tried to address that flaw by writing in the date of signing. He also tried to correct the year offered by some signers, from 2016 to 2017.

Doyle said she found “no ill motive” on the part of the candidate to make such corrections. But citing other legal rulings, she struck those names from counting.

Attorney Dan Kiss, who represented Strasser, said his client’s challenge of Adams and Paule’s petitions are based on a desire for fairness.

“We’re not trying to stop democracy,” Kiss said. “The rules are there for a reason, and we want people to do it the right way.”

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today