Apr 3, 2013 1 min read

Washington Councilman Joseph M. Manning will remain on the ballot in the spring primary despite a court petition challenging the validity of his nominating petition.

Washington County Judge Gary Gilman on Wednesday dismissed the challenge on a technicality, saying the attorney representing Bernard J. Russell of Washington failed to petition the court for a hearing on his appeal within 10 days after the March 19 deadline to file nominating petitions in the county elections office.

Gilman said there is nothing the state elections code requiring the prothonotary’s office to petition for a hearing.

Russell asked the court to toss out Manning’s nomination, claiming the Democratic candidate didn’t get enough signatures from within his party on the petition he presented to the elections office. Manning turned in 110 signatures, 10 more than needed, and has said he believed they were from qualifying Democrats.

Russell’s attorney, Jay Walsh, said he needed to discuss Gilman’s ruling before deciding whether to not to appeal the decision to a higher court.