Election Challenges Filed in Towamencin Township Supervisors Race

Rachel Ravina | The Reporter•

Towamencin board of supervisors incumbent Rich Marino, left, and challenger Kofi Osei are now tied after a Montgomery County election update on Nov. 2

Montgomery County’s 2023 general election results were certified Monday despite objections to exclude the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors race.

The meeting began with public comment from Goldstein Law Partners attorney Britain Henry, who spoke on behalf of "a collective of petitioners who filed a petition this morning contesting the certification of the Towamencin Township supervisor race.”

"We do not at this time have a recount or a re-canvass petition,” said county Senior Assistant Solicitor John Marlatt. "A petition of an election contest is a petition of a different type and not one that should delay the board moving forward to vote on certification … this afternoon.”

While ballot counting and tabulation proceedings wrapped up on Nov. 14, a Nov. 22 ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania delayed the certification of the 2023 general election results in Montgomery County. The order required "undated and improperly dated mail-in ballots” be counted.

There were 349 ballots impacted locally, according to a Montgomery County spokesperson. Marlatt said the "canvas and tabulation board reconvened on Nov. 27” and completed their work on Nov. 28, which was followed by a mandatory five-day waiting period "for any parties to file recount petitions.”

Concerning the Towamencin Township race, updated vote totals posted Nov. 27 showed Towamencin supervisor Rich Marino, a Republican incumbent, and challenger Kofi Osei, a Democrat, tied with 3,035 votes each in the race for the seat currently held by Marino.

Marino and Osei then participated in the drawing of lots held on Nov. 30 in Norristown. The proceedings, mandated by state law, dictated the candidate who chose the lower number would be deemed the winner. Osei chose number 15 and Marino chose 28.

"It’s crazy. There’s been a lot happening in Towamencin. So to end on a drawing of lots is definitely crazy,” Osei told MediaNews Group following the drawing.

"My feeling is at this point is that I did not lose the election…I just picked the wrong number,” Marino said last week.

Marlatt told county election board members the Republican National Committee also filed litigation on Friday, requesting "a stay of certification of the Towamencin race from the district court.”

"As of the time of this meeting a stay has not been ordered,” Marlatt said. "Mr. Marino has filed an election contest in the court of common pleas and has also requested a stay there. Again, as of the time of this meeting, a stay has not been ordered.”

In addition to the Towamencin Township race, Marlatt said a recount petition was filed for the Ward 5 seat on the Lower Moreland Township Board of Commissioners. He said there was no change recorded in the vote total. County election results revealed Republican Dennis J. Mueller won the race with 363 votes over Democrat Dharshini Chakkaravarthi’s 358 votes. One write-in vote was also recorded.

The election results were certified in a 2-1 roll call vote. Montgomery County Board of Elections Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. and Vice Chairman Judge Daniel Clifford voted in favor of the action, while Commissioner Joe Gale opposed it.

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