Bedford republican chair vote being challenged after former DA took over seat

Former Bedford County district attorney with a criminal history was recently voted as the chairperson of the county's republican party. That vote is now being challenged and the state GOP is expected to review the vote.

The questions being raised have nothing to do with Bill Higgins' past, but rather the validity of the vote.

Higgins pleading guilty of over 30 criminal counts of misconduct while he was Bedford’s district attorney in 2018, making a deal to avoid prison time.

He was voted as the republican party chair in the county during a meeting earlier this month, but Bedford County commissioner and elections board member J.R. Winck said more people should have gotten a say in the vote.

Winck said about eight people were kicked out of that meeting and not involved in the election of Higgins.

According to Higgins, the chairperson at the time had a list of credentialed voters and about 15 were at the meeting.

Higgins sites a state law that says for anyone that was not on the ballot during the primary election they must receive at least the number of signatures it takes to be on the ballot for that position. Republican committee member that would mean at least 10 write-in votes are needed. He said the people that did not get that were not elected to the Bedford County Republican Committee under that code.

But Winck said another state code was brought up when talking to the county solicitor that says it takes someone getting a “plurality” of votes to be allowed to fill the committee spots and he argues those people were elected for those positions.

According to a Philadelphia judge in the 2018 case Lewis vs. The Philadelphia County Board of Elections this section applies to candidates whose name appear on the ballot while the minimum requirement of votes applies to write-in votes.

Higgins said getting appointed by the chairman, getting on the primary ballot and winning, or getting ten or more write-in votes during the primary are the three ways to get the committee member position.

Higgins and Winck both confirm a meeting happening Tuesday with the state DOJ to review the case but are not sure if a determination will be made.

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