Candidate seminar scheduled
The Fayette County Election Bureau and its solicitor will host the county’s first-ever instructional seminar for candidates on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Public Service Building on Uniontown’s Main Street. Laurie Nicholson, election bureau director and the county’s chief registrar, said the seminar will allow candidates for all offices to get a briefing on the process and to ask questions.
“We’re trying to give them more detailed instructions, on how and when (to do things),” said Nicholson. “(Election Board member) Dave Lohr is the one who brought it up. We’re going to go over the financial interest statements, which are also called the ethics forms. That’s what most candidates are thrown off the ballot for.
“We’re going to try to go over the general steps for filing the petitions also, to give them a little bit more information. Our solicitor (Sheryl Heid) is going to be there to go over all the legal aspects.”
Nicholson said that many local offices are up for election this year, including all county row offices except three – treasurer, recorder of deeds and jury commissioner. Other municipal races on the ballot include some for district justice, as well as those for school director, township supervisor and borough council.
At the instructional seminar, veteran and rookie candidates will have the chance to ask questions and get direction. Lohr said he’s pleased that the county has evolved to the point where the election bureau is willing to share vital information with all candidates.
“I’m definitely glad it’s happening,” said Lohr. “I think the county needs to make sure that candidates running for office have a good idea on how to do the forms. I believe these forms are almost job security for elected officials, so that their competition can be taken off the ballot without giving voters the opportunity to vote for people.”
Four years ago, Lohr was removed from the Republican primary for commissioner after fellow GOP candidate William “Bill” Middleton challenged some aspects of Lohr’s statement of financial interest.
Lohr then formed an independent team with Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh, who was one of several Democrats tossed from the primary ballot because of similar challenges. In the 1999 general election, Cavanagh finished third as an independent and Lohr finished fourth – ahead of GOP nominees Middleton and Richard Brown.
Lohr said he wanted the informational seminar so that all prospective candidates have access to knowledge that will keep them on the ballot, giving voters and not the courts the right to decide who holds office.
“It’s something I pushed for and it’s going to happen,” said Lohr. “Everyone who is running for office, I would encourage them to attend. It will be on Feb. 18.”
Lohr said that while the Election Bureau can’t give specific legal advice, it makes sense to have that county department give a general overview of ethics forms, nominating petitions and important filing dates, along with “anything pertaining to an election” that may be unclear.
“I know the Election Bureau doesn’t know all the answers, because they’re not legally supposed to,” said Lohr. “But I think that the county, through our solicitors, should be able to answer questions properly, because there are gray areas that need to be answered.”
Nicholson said that she thinks the informational seminar will become a yearly event, especially in years where many municipal races appear on the ballot.
“I have a feeling we will be (doing it),” said Nicholson. “At least for the municipal elections, when we have a lot of local races.”