Nazareth Mayor Choice May Complicate Elections

So who will replace Fred Daugherty Jr.?.

Borough council's decision could have an impact on the May 21 primary election and the November election as well.

The board must appoint a mayor by May 6, according to state law. The council has its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday and that's when a new mayor would have to be sworn in since the council cannot vote on any decisions at its work sessions.

The council can choose one of its own to serve on an interim basis until the end of the year to replace Daugherty, who resigned suddenly two weeks ago.

If the council does so, then the council member must resign and the council would then be given another 30 days to appoint a new council member.

One candidate is Councilman Jack Herbst, who heads the Police Committee and is on the May 21 ballot as the only Democrat running for mayor. Herbst has served on council for 12 years.

Herbst is also squaring off in Ward 3 for two, four-year council seats along with Councilman Charles Donello and Vigilance Hose Company president Carl Strye Jr., a Republican.

Republican candidate Deb Miller, a self-employed counselor and mother of six, has also started a write-in campaign for mayor.

Also, anyone who gets the most write-in votes in the Republican primary—you need at least 10 or more to qualify— would face Herbst in the November general election.

It is unknown how many candidates have applied for the mayor post. The filing deadline was Thursday.

Here's where the complications come in:

• So let's say the council appoints Herbst. He would have to give up his council seat. If Herbst loses the mayoral election in November, he might be able to get elected for council again.

• If Strye is chosen for mayor, he would have to win the Republican write-in in the May 21 primary election and then battle it out with Herbst in November.

• The wild card, of course, is whether Miller would be appointed mayor or win the May 21 Republican write-in.

But, and here's where it gets tricky: If either Herbst or Strye are chosen as mayor or elected as mayor, the other one would automatically get the nod for the Ward 3 council seat.

So it might be a win-win for both.