Voter registrations being checked in Manning petition challenge
Washington County Court Judge Gary Gilman recessed a hearing this morning on the petition challenging Washington Councilman Joe Manning’s eligibility to be on the ballot in this month’s primary so both sides can review the registration of voters signing nominating petitions for the candidate.
The judge granted the recess after about an hour of testimony that centered around the proper numbering of the signature sheets candidates need to be eligible to run for office. The recess is to allow county election’s office staff time to cross-check the validity of the registrations.
A Washington resident claims Manning does not have enough valid signatures on his Democratic nominating petitions to be placed on the ballot. Gilman was ordered last week by Commonwealth Court to hold a hearing on the merits of the challenge, after dismissing it on a technicality in April.