Court will accept applications for May primary recount

Milford — Nine write-in candidates earlier denied November ballot slots were granted the right to request a recount of May primary votes Wednesday, after a county investigation found the likelihood of errors in the official tally by the board of elections. Pike County Court Judge Joseph Kameen issued a Aug. 17 order stating that any of the identified candidates may request a re-canvass before Aug. 31, when he will rule on them. Commissioners Clerk and Director of Elections Gary Orben said that the county had petitioned the court to issue the order. Orben said the errors came to light in the Lehman Township auditors race, where two write-in candidates, Michael Meachem and Stanley Ciemiecki received votes. Meachem was initially informed that he had won, then told he had not won. The county investigation found that votes had not been totalled from both of Lehman’s election districts before Meachem was declared the winner. Further investigation found more similar problems. The other seven included: Jeanine Tenzi, as a Republican tax collector candidate in Blooming Grove; Larry Koch, as a Republican candidate for constable in Blooming Grove; Mary Lou Corbett, as a Republican candidate for tax collector in Delaware, district No. 1; Frances James, as a Democratic candidate for tax collector in Lackawaxen district No. 1; Matthew Osterberg, as a Democratic candidate for councilman in Milford Borough; Robert Gallagher, as a Democratic candidate for constable in Shohola; and Laurie Pearce, as a Democratic candidate for tax collector in Westfall. The re-canvass does not impact any other May race results.