Upcoming Elections: 2013

It seems like we just put the presidential election behind us, and, yet, there are already more elections to think about in terms of gun rights. Most political observers are already looking to 2014 with an anticipated competitive gubernatorial race and the possibility of at least one open Congressional seat. However, gun owners have a chance to make a difference for the Second Amendment in this year’s municipal elections against mayors who have been quietly lobbying Washington, DC officials in support of a ban on semi-automatic rifles.

Below, you’ll find just a few of the mayors in select counties facing election this year who have joined with New York City’s Michael Bloomberg to lobby against your right to bear arms.

Many of these mayoral races are unchallenged, but others are closer than you can imagine. For example, Penndel’s 2009 mayoral race was decided by just 68 votes. For a tiny borough like Penndel, that seems like a pretty big margin. However, it doesn’t take into account significantly decreased turnouts. Fewer than 26% of registered voters in Bucks County actually cast a ballot in local races that year.

Across the border into Montgomery County, the mayoral race for Pottstown was decided by just 2 percentage points. Somewhat farther north, the mayor of Roseto in Northampton County was elected by only 53 votes. Out in the west, Ingram’s anti-gun advocate mayor in Allegheny County won his last election by just 9 votes!

Right now, candidates for municipal elections are still circulating petitions to get on the primary ballots on May 21. You may be able to find out from local opposing parties if there are known candidates for the office yet.

Bucks County
Chalfont – Marilyn Becker
Doylestown – Libby White
Ivyland – Charles Ritter
Langhorne – Christopher Blaydon
Penndel – Robert Winkler
Sellersville – Thomas Hufnagle
Telford – Jay Stover*
Tullytown – David Cutchineal

Montgomery County
Ambler – Bud Wahl
Hatboro – Norm Hawkes
Jenkintown – Ed Foley
Pottstown – Bonnie Heath
Souderton – John Reynolds
Telford – Jay Stover*

Northampton County
Bath – Donald Wunderler
Bethlehem – John Callahan*
Freemansburg – Gerald Yob
Northampton – Thomas Reenock
Roseto – Desiree D. DeNicola
Stockertown – Sherman Metzgar
Tatamy – Luke Duignam
West Easton – Gerald Gross
Wilson – David Perruso

Lehigh County
Allentown – Ed Pawlowski
Bethlehem – John Callahan*
Catasauqua – Barbara Schlegel
Emmaus – Winfield Iobst

Berks County
Bally – Phillip Ferrizzi
Bernville – Gail Stoudt
Birdsboro – Robert Myers
Boyertown – Marianne Deery
Hamburg – Roy Del Rosario
Kutztown – Sandra Green
Laureldale – Fred Feltenberger
Lyons – Randy Schlegel

York County
Felton – Gary McBrien
Jefferson – Jim Sanders
New Salem – Grace Angotti
Windsor – Larry Markel
Yoe – John Sanford
York – Kim Bracey

Armstrong County
Applewold – Gretchen Dosch

Butler County
Butler – Margaret Stock
Cherry Valley – Ronald Lockwood
Evans City – Gary Foster

Allegheny County
Aspinwall – Bernard Killian
Baldwin – Alexander Bennett, Jr.
Brentwood – Kenneth Lockhart
Castle Shannon – Donald Baumgarten
Chalfant – James Perry
Churchill – Paul McKenna
Clairton – Richard Lattanzi
Dormont – Thomas Lloyd
Duquesne – Philip Krivacek
East Pittsburgh – Louis Payne
Edgewood – J. Edward Cook
Edgeworth – Wayne Murphy
Emsworth – Dorothy H. Quinn
Homestead – Betty Esper
Ingram – Gerald Croushore
Lincoln – Nick Vay
Munhall – Raymond Bodnar
Sharpsburg – Richard Panza
Turtle Creek – Adam Forgie
West Elizabeth – Ralph Harrington
West Homestead – John Dindak
Whitehall – James Nowalk
Wilkinsburg – John Thompson

Westmoreland County
Bolivar – Everett Saxton
Manor – David Sturgess
Monessen – Mary Jo Smith
West Newton – Mary Popovich
Youngwood – Joan Derco

Greene County
Greensboro – Arnie Bowser

Lawrence County
Ellport – Joseph Cisco
Ellwood City – Tony Court
Wampum – Jeffrey Steffler

Mercer County
Meadville – John Christopher Soff

Erie County
Erie – Joseph Sinnott
Lake City – Joseph Legnasky
McKean – Weslee A. Clapper-Krepps

*Crosses multiple county lines.