Is this a Conservative Takeover?
Is this a Conservative Takeover?
We would like to thank all of our supporters who engaged in the Morrisville Democratic Club’s endorsement process for the May 20th Primary election. Your commitment to ensuring that candidates are committed to upholding the principles of the Democratic Party is vital.
Recent events have demonstrated that there is a disruptive influence to weaken our Democratic Party in Morrisville.
The first screening process took place in February with regularly attending members and candidates. Judicial and county candidates also asked for endorsement and support.
At the second screening, this month, candidates who had not been previously screened were given an opportunity to present themselves and answer questions. The following week, members gathered to cast their votes for endorsement (see process below).
With voting support from 80% of active Morrisville Democratic Club members, the Endorsed Candidates were:
Ward One, 4 Year Term
Shawn Ratti
Kathryn Price-Engelhard
Ward Three, 4 Year Term
Deborah Colgan
Ward Three, 2 Year Term
Peggy Walsh
Ward Four, 4 Year Term
Anna Langer
The results were challenged by a candidate and an arbitration hearing by the Bucks County Democratic Arbitration Board was held. The Arbitration Board made the decision that due to a technicality, the secondary endorsement process was invalid.
Throughout our country, there is a concerted effort by conservatives to infiltrate Democratic groups and weaken our Party, using every destructive mechanism they can find. We are seeing it right here in our own backyard. There are local active Democrats who have worked hard to support candidates up and down the ballot. We cannot negate the wisdom of these local voters when identifying the candidates who best represent the Democratic Party in Morrisville.
Together, we will fight to protect democracy in Morrisville.
May 6, 2025 Meeting process:
• Upon signing in, eligible voting members were given an envelope with their name on it that contained the endorsement ballots.
• The meeting started at 7:15 p.m.
• Nancy Sherlock, Chair, Morrisville Democratic Club, opened the meeting by explaining the purpose of the meeting and describing the three categories of eligible voters: Committee People, Elected Local Officials, and Members in Good Standing (MIGS).
• Nancy also explained that she had invited Karen Vander Laan, BCDC Secretary, to oversee the endorsement process and vote counting. Karen asked LMT-Y Committeeperson Doug Moyer to assist with the counting.
• Each Candidate was given one minute to say a few words.
• Karen confirmed a quorum. There are 34 eligible voting members and 30 were in attendance, therefore there was a quorum. In order to be endorsed, a candidate must receive 60% of the votes of the voting members in attendance, which is 18 votes.
• Karen explained the voting process: If needed, the voting will be done over multiple rounds using an iterative process that has been used by the BCDC and approved by the PA State Committee. After the first round of balloting, any candidate who receives the required 60% threshold for endorsement will be removed from the second ballot. The candidate who receives the fewest number of votes after the first ballot will also be removed from the second ballot.
• If no candidate receives 60% of the vote in the First Round, each person eligible to vote will vote for the remaining candidates on the second ballot. If needed, this process will be repeated once more, making three (3) total ballots for the candidate. Regardless of where we stand after three (3) ballots, voting will end after the third ballot.
• All eligible voters voted and gave their ballots to Karen and Doug.
• One ballot contained an unreadable mark and that person was called up to correct it.
• One ballot was not signed and no one claimed it, so the ballot was rejected. The votes were removed from the final tally.
• Candidates for all seats were endorsed on the first round so additional rounds of voting were not needed.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
The candidates who received at least 18 votes and who were therefore endorsed are:
Ward One, 4 Year Term
Shawn Ratti
Kathryn Price-Engelhard
Ward Three, 4 Year Term
Deborah Colgan
Ward Three, 2 Year Term
Peggy Walsh
Ward Four, 4 Year Term
Anna Langer
