UPDATE: Newtown Republicans Respond After Township Candidates Stricken From Ballot

Two Republican candidates for Township Supervisor will not be on the May primary ballot, after a Bucks County judge on Monday ruled they failed to file the appropriate paperwork.

Laure Gensbauer and Jerry Festa did not file statement of financial interest forms with the township, the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas judge ruled.

Township resident James Ritchie filed a petition to have Gensbauer and Festa stricken from the ballot due to the failure to send in the appropriate forms. On Monday, Bucks County Judge Robert J. Mellon sided with Ritchie, saying Gensbauer and Festa cannot appear on the May 16 primary ballot.

Gensbauer and Festa will have to undertake a successful write-in campaign if they hope to appear on the November ballot.

Kyle Davis, speaking on behalf of the Republican campaign, called the development a "Washington D.C.-style partisan political attack by our Democratic opponents." Davis said the candidates plan to conduct a write-in campaign "and they will be successful."

There are three Newtown Township supervisor seats up on the ballot for November. Festa and Gensbauer were running for the two six-year terms. The seats are currently held by Republican Ryan Gallagher and Democrat Phil Calabro. Gallagher is not seeking reelection.

Gerry Couch, who was appointed to fill the seat of Mike Gallagher who left to become Bucks County Controller, has filed to run for the election of the two-year term. Couch filed the statement of financial interest form and will appear on the ballot.