January 02, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Republican Nicole Ziccarelli has asked leaders of the Pennsylvania State Senate not to seat Democrat Jim Brewster when the chamber convenes on Tuesday.
In a petition filed Friday night, Ziccarelli, of Lower Burrell, alleges that the decision of Allegheny County to count mail-in ballots that were signed, but not dated, constitutes acceptance of “illegal votes” and was “a blatantly political maneuver.”
Results accepted and certified by the Pennsylvania Department of State give Brewster, of McKeesport, a 69-vote lead in his re-election to a third full term to represent the 45th Senatorial District.
Ziccarelli has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh alleging that her rights to due process and equal protection under the U.S. Constitution were violated because Allegheny County accepted signed but undated mail-in ballots, while neighboring Westmoreland County did not count similar votes.
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December 17, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Correction: This story was edited after publication. See editor’s note.
Pennsylvania Republicans reacted with disbelief after state Sen. Jay Costa declared victory Wednesday for state Sen. Jim Brewster in his re-election.
Brewster, a McKeesport Democrat running for his third full term in the 45th Senatorial District, currently leads Nicole Ziccarelli, Lower Burrell Republican, by approximately 70 votes.
State totals certified Wednesday put the margin at 69 votes, while county-level results posted online say 73 votes.
But more than 2,000 mail-in and absentee ballots in Allegheny County have been challenged by the Ziccarelli campaign in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh. Although signed, those ballots lacked handwritten dates.
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December 17, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
A federal judge in Pittsburgh has given Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli until Dec. 23 to demonstrate why her attempt to throw out more than 2,300 mail-in ballots in Allegheny County should proceed.
Those ballots give a 73-vote lead to state Sen. Jim Brewster, Democrat of McKeesport, in his bid for re-election to a third full term — and on Wednesday, Senate Democratic leaders declared victory for their colleague after the Pennsylvania Department of State certified the results.
“While we have been confident for some time that Sen. Jim Brewster would be returning to the Pennsylvania Senate, the official certification comes as a relief and we congratulate him on the win,” said state Sen. Jay Costa of Forest Hills, who also serves as senate minority leader, in a prepared statement.
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December 01, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
A federal judge in Pittsburgh has denied a request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order that would block state officials from accepting some of Allegheny County’s election results.
At issue are 2,349 disputed absentee and mail-in ballots that will likely decide the 45th Senatorial District race between State Sen. Jim Brewster and his challenger, Nicole Ziccarelli.
The ballots in question were signed, but not dated, by voters.
In her request last week, Ziccarelli, Republican of Lower Burrell, asked U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan to prohibit state officials from accepting Allegheny County’s certified results, which include those ballots.
Brewster, a McKeesport Democrat, holds a 73-vote lead out of more than 132,000 votes cast.
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November 24, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld Allegheny County’s decision to count absentee and mail-in ballots that were signed, but not dated.
The 4-3 decision Monday affects ballots in both Allegheny and Philadelphia counties — and is crucial in the 45th Senatorial District race between state Sen. Jim Brewster, McKeesport Democrat, and challenger Nicole Ziccarelli, Lower Burrell Republican.
Brewster and Ziccarelli were tied last week as Westmoreland County officials continued to review disputed ballots. On Monday, after additional ballots were reviewed, accepted and counted in Westmoreland, Ziccarelli moved into a 4-vote lead out of 131,968 votes cast, according to reports posted on the county’s website.
If Allegheny County now counts and certifies its remaining 2,349 ballots, Brewster would move into a 96-vote lead, according to public figures available on the election board’s website.
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November 19, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
The race between state Sen. Jim Brewster and challenger Nicole Ziccarelli is now tied at 65,978 votes each.
As of Wednesday, Brewster, a McKeesport Democrat, had been leading Ziccarelli, Republican of Lower Burrell, by 28 votes. Brewster is seeking re-election to his third full term representing the 45th Senatorial District.
Westmoreland County on Thursday counted additional provisional and mail-in ballots that had been held for further review. The count added 141 votes for Brewster and 169 for Ziccarelli.
Another court hearing is scheduled on Friday before Westmoreland County Judge Harry Smail Jr. regarding the remaining provisional ballots that have not yet been counted.
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November 18, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
EDITED to clarify that the current totals do not reflect the disputed absentee ballots.
The future of Pennsylvania’s 45th Senatorial District is now in the hands of the state Supreme Court.
Republican Nicole Ziccarelli of Lower Burrell on Wednesday afternoon filed an emergency petition asking the state’s highest court to use its powers of “extraordinary relief” to rule that 2,349 of Allegheny County’s absentee ballots are invalid and cannot be counted.
State Sen. Jim Brewster, McKeesport Democrat, currently holds a 28-vote lead over his challenger, Ziccarelli. Brewster is seeking re-election to his third four-year term.
The Allegheny County Board of Elections voted 2-1 to accept the ballots, which were signed by voters but not dated. The ballots have not yet been counted.
On Wednesday morning, Allegheny County Judge Joseph M. James upheld the board’s decision.
“In light of the fact that there is no fraud, a technical omission on an envelope should not render a ballot invalid,” he wrote in his decision. “These ballots must be counted.”
Ziccarelli’s attorneys also are appealing James’s decision in Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.
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November 05, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
State Rep. Austin Davis appears to be headed to his second full term in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, while Nick Pisciottano of West Mifflin is the favorite to replace retiring state Rep. Bill Kortz.
According to unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division, with all 84 precincts reporting, Davis, a Democrat from McKeesport, received 19,704 votes. Davis was facing a write-in campaign from Don Nevills of Clairton.
The county said 1,643 write-in votes were recorded. All of the numbers are still subject to change and have not yet been certified by county officials.
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November 05, 2020 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
State Sen. Jim Brewster is one of several Democratic legislators in Pennsylvania who are trailing their challengers following Tuesday’s election.
With all precincts in both Allegheny and Westmoreland counties reporting Thursday night, Republican Nicole Ziccarelli was leading Brewster, the 45th Senatorial District incumbent, by about 1,500 votes, 63,058 to 61,515.
According to Allegheny County officials, more than 35,000 absentee ballots still need to be reviewed on Friday.
County spokeswoman Amie Downs said Thursday those ballots include approximately 29,000 that were incorrectly printed by a vendor, and had to be re-issued, as well as ballots that were damaged and could not be electronically scanned.
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November 02, 2020 |
By Bill Phillips | Posted in: Politics & Elections
(Prachatai illustration, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
OK, Tube City Online readers — as Jeff Probst from “Survivor” would say, “it is time to vote.”
All Allegheny County polling places are expected to be open on Tuesday. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. By law, anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
To find your polling place, visit this website and enter your address.
Poll workers will be provided masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitizer. Additionally, there will be clear plastic shields at the sign-in tables. There will also be cleaning materials at the polling place, tape to mark off six-foot distances for voters waiting in line, and extra staff to help enforce the provisions.
Voters will be asked to wear a face covering in compliance with the state order. Those who arrive without a face covering will be offered one.
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