Time to Crash the One-Party Rule

47 uncontested elections since 2011 is not a recipe for good government

“Unchecked power pushes parties to excess regardless of which party is in power. It is an inherent part of both human nature and the nature of government.”—Pat Toomey

We appreciate any kind of response to our articles, especially when they prompt us to delve deeper into the issue we’ve raised. All-too-often, we discover the problem is actually worse than we originally reported. 

In this case, we send our thanks to Councilor David Ballard for his comment on our post releasing our policy platform, where he points out that “there was a GOP candidate in a Ward 3 contest while I have been on Council….” and “I also wonder how a lack of willing opposing candidates can be blamed on those who do stand for office….”

These statements piqued our curiosity. We wondered how many Borough Council members actually faced a contest with an opposing candidate, and how many times that happened.

Jenkintown Matters reviewed every municipal election from 2011 to 2023 (you can see the ballots here and election results here). In that period, there were seven years when Borough Council seats were on the ballot (every odd year). In those seven years, there were a total of 48 elections for a seat on Borough Council, from six to eight seats in each election.

Out of those 48 instances, there was only ONE seat in ONE election year (2019) that showed an opposing candidate (Mr. Ballard’s GOP candidate in Ward 3) on the ballot. Every other seat in every election showed just one candidate (from the Democratic party). And in NONE of these elections was there more than a 50% voter turnout in any ward.

For example, Council President Conners ran on the 2011 ballot for one of two seats open in Ward 4. No one opposed him. He was on the ballot again in 2015, 2019, and 2023, and again, no one opposed him in any of those years.

Citizens can often then feel they have no control and simply stop participating (the “learned helplessness” theory).

Mr. Ballard correctly observed that if no candidate runs in opposition, then the one person on the ballot wins by default.

If a sitting councilor steps down before the end of their term, the Borough must appoint a replacement. Though the interview process is open to the public within a given ward, Council does not choose a replacement outside of their own party.

In 2019, two council members announced their resignations, but served out their terms. However, their announcements came very close to the deadline for candidates to submit nominating petitions. When this happens, the party committee appoints a candidate.

Much has been written about the dangers of one-party government, which is de facto what we have here in Jenkintown. We have no thoughtful debate among leaders of different political persuasions and ideologies. Leaders in a one-party government usually lack any incentive to be responsive to all citizens. Citizens can often then feel they have no control and simply stop participating (the “learned helplessness” theory).

Borough residents, are you satisfied with this Borough government? Is this what you envision as representative government? If your answer to these questions is “no”, then get involved! Run for council, or run for mayor. We stand ready to support you. Be the change!

These Council members are up for re-election in 2025. 

Deborra Sines-Pancoe Ward 1	Aliza Narva Ward 3
Gordon Lewis Ward 1	Alex Khalil Ward 3
Christian Soltysiak Ward 2	Anne MacHaffie Ward 4

Also up for re-election this year is Mayor Gabe Lerman.

“Democracy is the most demanding of all forms of government in terms of the energy, imagination, and public spirit required of the individual.”—George C. Marshall