7 Too Few Knocks Republican Challenger to Murtha

On the one hand, the voter registration rolls in PA are inflated, bloated, and in need of attention. Maybe officials will cull the rolls of at least the deceased and those who definitely have moved out of the state to another state.

Warning: Allegations

Ex-Erie legislator accused of forgery
Grand jury says petition signatures fake
Friday, February 29, 2008
By Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In one case, an individual who purportedly signed one of the petitions on March 3, 2006, had been deceased since April 15, 2000."

One of the forged signatures appeared to be the mother of former Erie State Sen. Anthony "Buzz" Andrezeski...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08060/861438-85.stm

The nomination petitions are basically the first line of defense for the voters. Signers have to be registered of the same Party for Primary petitions. Sometimes voters just are not aware they cannot sign a petition for a candidate of another party at this time.

(Net the Truth Online)

Murtha's Republican opponent tossed off primary ballot
By Mark Scolforo
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thursday, February 28, 2008


HARRISBURG -- The road to re-election for veteran U.S. Rep. John Murtha just got a good bit smoother.
A state judge on Tuesday ruled that the lone Republican running in the primary for the Western Pennsylvania seat did not collect enough signatures to make the ballot.

Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said Republican candidate Bill Russell's nominating petition contained only 993 valid signatures, seven fewer than required.

That left Murtha, 75, a Johnstown Democrat, without opposition in the primary or general election...

...Russell, citing a lack of money, said he was not planning an appeal to the state Supreme Court but would entertain a write-in nomination. To qualify as a write-in, Russell would need at least 1,000 votes and would have to be the top vote-getter in the Republican primary...

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/dailycourier/news/s_554689.html