EXCLUSIVE: Suit Filed in Challenge of Bristol Borough Mayoral Race

Contrary to popular media reports, all the votes in the  Bristol Borough mayoral race haven’t been counted, a civil lawsuit says.

The suit filed at the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas earlier today on behalf of the committee For Electing  Democrats and Uniting People (FEDUP) says votes counted for the democratic side, should be counted as republican write -ins and thus making Councilman Pat Sabatini a candidate in the race for mayor in November.

The suit, filed against the Bucks County Board of Elections,  alleges votes for  Democratic Mayoral candidate Pat Sabatini throughout the borough were credited incorrectly  to the democratic vote count, when they should have been counted for the now sitting north ward councilman as  republican write- in votes because of “fraud or error.”

It is the contention of the petition there are no other republican candidates so Sabatini should be added to the ballot for the general election in November.

The petition says 10 votes are needed for a candidate, in this case on the republican side,  to be placed on the ballot in November in order for that candidate to run for office.

The petition  states, “many  registered Republican  voters cast write- in ballots  for Sabatini as a Republican candidate.”

It goes on to say “because the position of Mayor is a Borough wide office,”  Sabatini would qualify as the Republican candidate in the general election if he received a minimum of 10 total Republican votes in all voting districts of the Borough of Bristol combined at the primary.

The suit says the petitioners believe based upon the information provided by voters of the borough “fraud or error” exists in the canvassing of the write -in vote count.

The petition supplies 14 sworn, and notarized, affidavits from voters who say they voted for the currently sitting north ward councilman  on May 21 but were not counted as such.

Sabatini early this morning said that its important in any election for every vote to be counted and looks forward to running as a Republican Candidate for Mayor of Bristol Borough in the General Election in November against incumbent Mayor Joe Saxton.

Wayne Page Jr. the head of the Lower Bucks Republican Committee said Sabatini has the support of the group in his bid to become a Republican mayor of Bristol Borough.

“We think Sabatini is the best candidate available for the position and we fully support his effort,” Page said.

The Bucks County Board of Elections certified the election results this past Friday,  with the winner  Joe  Saxton  of the Democratic primary by a total of 89 votes.

As of Friday, there were no votes  for any candidate in the borough on the Republican side.

Sources, who asked not to be identified, believe that since the third candidate in the primary Bob Lebo can’t run in November, a significant majority of those who voted for Lebo,  will come out in  support Sabatini if he wins the petition filed today.

Saxton when reached for comment said he was unaware of the suite but looks forward to facing the councilman in November if the court rules in favor of the petition.

Louis F.  Horstine, Attorney for FEDUP was unavailable for comment about the suite, however Bristol Borough School Board Member and a  driving force of the committee Charles Groff said, “we just want every vote to be accurately accounted for. I believe that the voting machines were improperly calibrated which caused republican votes to be recorded  as democratic votes and we just want a true and accurate accounting of Republican write -in votes.

Deana Dean,  Director of the Bucks County Board of Elections, was unavailable for comment today.

There is no hearing date set for the suit at press time.