Eight candidates are formally operating within the Could 16 main election for Montgomery County commissioner.
On the Democratic facet, 5 candidates are operating for 2 spots — the most important main discipline in current reminiscence. That’s the end result, partially, of Montgomery County Democrats’ resolution to endorse only one candidate. With nobody else getting the official celebration nod, it’s a uncommon probability to hunt an open seat.
Republicans, against this, are going through a well-recognized dynamic: incumbent GOP Commissioner Joe Gale — a longtime critic of the county celebration — is looking for reelection to a different four-year time period with out the assist of his celebration. Two different Republicans are vying for 2 spots on the first poll.
Main voters in every celebration may have the selection to pick two candidates to advance to the November basic election. Democrats have held a 2-1 majority on the board since 2012, and the county has change into a turnout machine for the celebration in statewide elections. One seat is reserved for the minority celebration.
The crowded discipline comes as Montgomery County, the third largest by inhabitants within the state, faces its greatest management shake-up in years. Val Arkoosh resigned as chair of the three-member commissioners board in January to hitch Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, and Democrat Ken Lawrence Jr. isn’t looking for reelection.
The county board oversees an annual finances of greater than $500 million. Amongst different tasks, the board will oversee the administration of the 2024 election.
Not one of the candidates’ nomination petitions had been challenged by Tuesday’s deadline, so the sector is settled.
These are the candidates operating for the job:
Democrats
Tanya Bamford
Tanya Bamford, 54, is a advertising govt from Montgomery Township. In 2017 she turned the primary Democrat elected to the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors and later led the board for 3 years. Bamford is managing director of R/A Advertising, a agency that works with dwelling transforming corporations.
Kimberly Koch
Kimberly Koch, 40, is a public faculty instructor from Whitpain. As vice chair of the Whitpain Board of Supervisors, Koch has pursued what she calls “one of the progressive agendas within the county.” For instance, within the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court docket’s resolution overturning Roe v. Wade, the township handed an ordinance geared toward defending abortion rights.
Neil Makhija
Neil Makhija, 36, is a lawyer from Decrease Merion. He’s a lecturer in election legislation on the College of Pennsylvania and govt director of the South Asian civic and political group Influence. Beforehand, as an lawyer with Berger Montague, Makhija labored on client safety litigation.
Noah Marlier
Noah Marlier, 42, is a lawyer from Springfield. He was elected county prothonotary in 2019 and is looking for reelection to that place this 12 months. If he wins the Democratic main for commissioner, he’d possible get replaced on the poll for prothonotary within the basic election. An lawyer with Hamburg Rubin Mullin Maxwell & Lupin, Marlier is solicitor to a number of municipalities.
Jamila Winder
Jamila Winder, 44, lives in East Norriton and is an govt on the digital medical schooling firm Lecturio. Winder was appointed commissioner in January after Arkoosh’s resignation, and Montgomery County Democrats subsequently endorsed her marketing campaign for a full four-year time period. She is a former chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors.
Republicans
Tom DiBello
Tom DiBello, 60, is a enterprise govt from Royersford. He’s a former Limerick Township supervisor and Spring Ford faculty director. DiBello is CEO of Meci Enterprises LLC, which owns franchises of an organization that gives industrial and residential remediation companies. DiBello was endorsed by the county GOP.
Liz Ferry
Liz Ferry, 58, is vice chairman for state legislative affairs on the Chamber of Commerce for Better Philadelphia. Earlier than that she labored within the workplace of then-State Sen. Rob Wonderling. She has served as an elected commissioner in Higher Dublin Township since 2016. Ferry was endorsed by the county GOP.
Joe Gale
Joe Gale, 33, was first elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2015. The Plymouth Assembly resident ran towards the Montgomery County GOP’s favored candidates that 12 months and is doing so once more. Gale says he’s served as “a watchdog for households and taxpayers of all political affiliations.”
