Screenshot of Laura Smith's now-deleted Tik Tok video.
The township announced her resignation Sunday afternoon.
Republican Towamencin Township Supervisor Laura Smith, who has faced international social media backlash for her purported Nazi salute imitating Elon Musk at the inauguration in a now-deleted Tik Tok video, has resigned from the Board of Supervisors and her role as Vice Chair, effective Sunday afternoon.
In a Facebook post at 3 p.m., Towamencin Township said it will accept Smith's resignation at a public meeting as soon as possible.
"The Board of Supervisors cannot and will not tolerate such conduct," said the post.
Smith provided the following statement to the township on issuance of her resignation:
"A video I posted recently to social media has been greatly mischaracterized. Not wishing to give offense, I removed the video from my accounts. I abhor racism, anti-Semitic or discrimination in any fashion or form and my record as a township supervisor attests to my commitment to treat all people with dignity and respect."
"To allow the township to move forward without the encumbrance of the fallout of my video, I tender my resignation from the Towamencin Township Board of Supervisors effective immediately."
This media outlet broke the story on Smith's Tik Tok video, which went viral on Reddit, Facebook and X within hours of Smith posting it on Thursday.
By Saturday, Smith had resigned from the Knights for Life nonprofit board and the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library Board of Trustees.
So what happens now?
In Pennsylvania, under Second-Class Township rules, a resignation of an elected supervisor is only valid until accepted by a majority vote by the board.
Towamencin Township's Board of Supervisors was a Republican majority with Smith; Chairman Chuck Wilson and Kristin Warner are also Republicans. Supervisors Kofi Osei and Joyce Snyder are Democrats.
With Smith's resignation, there will be an even number of Republicans and Democrats on the five-member board.
The Board of Supervisors must now appoint a successor in a majority vote who is a registered elector of Towamencin and has resided in the township continuously for at least one year, per township code.
This successor would fulfill the remainder of Smith’s term this year. Smith’s seat would then be up for re-election for the normal 6-year term.
If supervisors do not appoint someone in 30 days of accepting Smith’s resignation, then the township Vacancy Board must step in and fill the vacancy, within an additional 15 days, per township code.
The township Vacancy Board would consist of the Board of Supervisors and one elector of the township, who will act as chairperson.
If the Vacancy Board fails to fill the position within 15 days, then the chairperson of the vacancy board must petition the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas to fill the vacancy.
