Light turnout, blurry controversy marks PA primary on election day in Bucks County

Amid light voter turnout and some controversy, Bucks County's party-line voters went to the polls to choose their candidates for the November election during Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.

No one could complain about the weather, a jewel of a spring day, but some conservative Republicans were rankled by the official GOP sample ballot, which blurred the names of unendorsed candidates, including that of congressional candidate Mark Houck, presidential contender Nikki Haley (since withdrawn from the race), and AG candidate Craig Williams, a state representative from Delaware County.

"So much for sending them (Bucks County Republicans) a protest vote," said one GOP voter.

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Patricia Poprik, who chairs the Bucks County Republicans, said that the ballot is not an official state ballot, but solely reflects the county party's candidate endorsements.

"This is not the first time we've blurred out names," she said, adding that the county GOP literature reflects the votes of committee people.

"Mark Houck got 11 votes out of 121," she said.

Houck's name was among those blurred out on the sample ballot handed to GOP voters on their way into the polls.

Houck, a conservative from Montgomery County running on a limited-government platform that supports Trump's bid for president at the top of the ticket, mounted a longshot campaign in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District against incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who continues to tout his moderate stance and bi-partisan approach, for the party nomination.

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"This is the work of the swampy creatures in our county," said Patricia DeBlasio, holding one of the GOP sample ballots as she handed them to voters at Tullytown Borough Hall on Main Street. "I just think it's wrong. If they got their signatures and they got on the ballot, show their names."

The blurred names didn't sit well with Houck supporter Paul Durle, who reacted by covering a Fitzpatrick lawn sign with a towel outside the polling place at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Falls. An armed county constable was called, who told Durple he couldn't do that.

"Am I ticked off? No," said Durle. "I'm a practicing Catholic, after all. I'm filled with joy."

But he wasn't happy in the moment.

"That's not democracy," he said, pointing to the blurred ballot names. "That's banana republic."

However, in the voting booth, the three names are visible and Republicans are free to vote for them.

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Another feature of the primary election: far fewer Democrats arriving to cast votes than Republicans. Poll workers on both sides of the tickets is acknowledged this, and had the same explanation. Democrats long ago embraced no-excuse, mail-in voting, while Republicans haven't. That flip gives the Dems an advantage, they said.

There was also no real contest for the Democrats to vote on. President Joe Biden will easily take the party's nomination and the congressional candidate, Ashley Ehasz, was running unopposed. Only one state representative race in the county was opposed.

At the Bristol Township municipal building polling place, which is heavily Democratic in terms of voter registration, two GOP poll workers were alone amid a trickle of mostly Republican voters. There were just two campaign signs immediately outside the place — both for the GOP.

"The other side hasn't even set up a table to hand out ballots," a woman said. "Their votes are already in the bank."

But not all was gloom for disheartened Republicans, still skeptical of mail-in voting.

Dave McCormick, running a second time for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, pulled up in his campaign tour bus early Tuesday in front of Bensalem High School. Some GOP brass was on hand, including Mayor Joe DiGirolamo, state Sen. Frank Farry and former Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, now president of Rosemont College.

McCormick was running unopposed for his party's bid and will face incumbent Sen. Bob Casey in November. Casey also ran unopposed Tuesday.

"I was in New Hope last night and had a great reception," said McCormick, as he made his way through well-wishers in the sun-drenched plaza in front of the school. "Every place I go, it feels like there's unity, that the party has come together to win."

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: PA primary in Bucks County sees light turnout, blurry ballot debate