A nameplate for now-former Towamencin supervisor Laura Smith stands on the dais in front of her empty seat as her fellow supervisors voted to accept her resignation on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by James Short.
Supervisor Laura Smith resigned in February after viral video
A decision on who will fill the vacant seat on Towamencin’s board of supervisors could be imminent.
Township officials gave an update Wednesday night on the latest news from county court on filling that vacancy, with interviews slated to start on Thursday.
“This afternoon, I received word from Michael Kehs, who is the court administrator to the Montgomery County court of common pleas, that the court will be interviewing applicants for the vacancy starting (Thursday) at 12 p.m.,” said solicitor Bob Iannozzi.
The resignation came after former supervisor Laura Smith sparked an uproar by posting a now-deleted TikTok video mimicking an alleged Nazi salute in the manner of Elon Musk at the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The township announced Smith’s pending resignation on Jan. 26, and the board accepted the resignation in a special meeting on Feb. 4.
Supervisors said the deadline for board action to fill the vacancy would be within 30 days, but in a March 4 special meeting, the board deadlocked on two nominations, both failing on 2-2 tie votes. The decision then moved to county court; April 18 was the deadline for candidates to apply to county court.
During the supervisors meeting on Wednesday night, Iannozzi said he had heard from the court administrator earlier that day, and that “there appear to be approximately seven applicants” for the seat.
“The court advised that they will advise us as soon as they make their determination,” he said.
Smith’s six-year term would have run until the end of the year, and that seat and the seat held by current board Chairman Chuck Wilson will be on the ballot in both the May 20 primary and November 4 general election. According to an unofficial candidate list published by Montgomery County, six candidates are running for those two seats: Wilson, Christina Eppolito, Angela Illingworth, and Donald Litman will square off in the Republican primary, with the top two advancing to face Democrats Vanessa Gaynor and Courtney Morgan in November.
Both candidates who were nominated during the split votes in March — former supervisor Dan Bell and former North Penn school board president Vince Sherpinsky — were in the audience during the Wednesday night meeting, and both told The Reporter they were there to stay informed on current issues and had been notified by the county to travel to Norristown for interviews Thursday.
Towamencin’s supervisors next meet at 7 p.m. on May 14 at the township administration building, 1090 Troxel Road; for more information visit www.Towamencin.org.
