The Office of the Philadelphia City Commissions recently released this year's voting data, which revealed that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) could have won the judge of elections position for the ninth division of the Fifth Ward during the recent Philadelphia elections.
According to the Committee of Seventy, a non-partisan advocate for better government in Philadelphia, the judge of elections is a part of the Election Board and "is responsible for overseeing the election process in each of Philadelphia’s 1,686 voting divisions and is charged with conducting the polling place in accordance with state and federal election laws."
The judge of elections for the ninth division of the Fifth Ward was one of the positions on the ballot on Nov. 7 that did not have a candidate. However, during the election itself, four people received a write-in vote, which refers to the vote that is given to a candidate not on the ballot by a voter who writes their name down on the voting slip.
These four people were Robyne Watkins, Craig Weintraub, and Stuart B. Lev, all of whom are registered voters in the ninth division, and Sanders.
In other words, if Sanders lived in Philadelphia between between 13th and Broad streets, he might have won the position, reported the PhillyVoice.
Former Vice President and Penn professor Joe Biden also received a write-in vote in University City for election-judge, a different Election Board position. However, he was also ineligible for the position because he was not a Philadelphia resident.
In addition to Sanders and Biden, former President Barack Obama finished in a 1-1 write-in tie for election inspector in University City and Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz received a write-in vote for the election inspector position in Fairmount, PhillyVoice reported. Wentz also received eight write-in votes for Common Pleas judge and two for Municipal Court judge.
Other highlights from the write-in ballots include the late German philosopher Karl Marx for common pleas court judge in Center City, the fictional cartoon character Homer J. Simpson for district attorney in Roxborough, and "Black Mothers in Philly" for Municipal Court judge and Superior Court judge in Olney.
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