Laurie Actman Is Denied LM Dem. Committee Endorsement
First Time Since Democrats Took Power In Lower Merion – An Incumbent School Board Member Or Commissioner Failed To Win Endorsement For Re-Election
On Tuesday night (March 2), the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion Narberth (DCLMN) didn’t do something that they have always done.
Ever since Democrats took control of both the School Board and the Board of Commissioners in 2003, with one prior exception, any incumbent who ever asked for the endorsement of the DCLMN, got it.
Last night the Committee gave its endorsement to three School Board candiates, but Laurie Actman who was seeking the Committee’s endodrsement for a third term, wasn’t one of them.
Via Zoom, the Committee gave Kerry Sautner, Melanie Schafmeister and Anna Shurak the necessary 60% (of 82 members participating) on the first ballot to secure their endorsements.
Actman and Kim Garrison, although they didn’t win a first ballot endorsement, got the next highest number of votes. That earned them (and not three other candidates who also were seeking the endorsement) the right to appear on the ballot for Round 2. The ballots for both rounds included an option for Committee people to choose “No Endorsement.”
On the second round, neither Actman nor Garrison reached the 60% threshold required for the endorsement.
Actman and Garrison, if they want to, can remain in the race for the May 18 Primary, even though they were not endorsed. The same is true for Mary Brown, Glenn Brooks and Scott Hoeflich; who were also seeking the Committee’s endorsement.
What’s significant about last night’s vote, is that even though the Committee endorsed three candidates for four of the open positions on the School Board; is that to a large extent, the School Board election will be an “Open Primary.”
Under normal circumanstances, Committee people are bound by a section of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee’s bylaws which prohibits them from supporting unendorsed candidates running against endorsed candidates in primaries. However, because the Committee did not endorse a full slate of candidates for School Board, members will be free to support whomever they choose for the fourth position.
Title is incorrect.
George Manos wasn’t endorsed when he ran for reelection
Thanks for your close reading. Correction was made.