Stump No Longer Odd Man Out In Yardley Election

YARDLEY, PA —"Stump Odd Man Out In Yardley Ballot Snafu."

It was a Patch headline written by yours truly for the May primary election in which Democratic newcomer finished seventh of seven candidates running unopposed for Yardley Borough Council —and lost the election.

But not in Tuesday's general election.

There was Stump at the borough's voting polls Tuesday displaying a light blue T-shirt with the Patch headline in quotes about losing an election he never should have lost.

Stump flashed a thumbs-up and grinned in the picture as he will be joining the seven-member Borough Council in which all seats were up for election and unopposed for the first time in borough history.

Patch first reported the ballot snafu in May right before the primary election.

Voters were supposed to be able to choose all four candidates for a two-year Borough Council term. However, the ballot stated that only three candidates could be chosen, and that had newcomer Stump finishing fourth.

Stump will replace Councilman Matt Curtin, who did not run for re-election.

Stump, 30, a seven-year-borough resident, took it all in stride when he talked to Patch after the primary election.

"It's a simple administrative issue," he said. "They had already printed the ballots. This is a small municipal election so they weren't going to print them again. It was best to leave it as is and avoid confusing voters."

Stump could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the Bucks County Board of Elections, Stump received 681 votes for one of four, two-year terms.

Borough Council President Caroline Thompson received 733 votes, Councilman Don Carlson 703 votes, Councilman Uri Feiner 679 votes, and then Stump.

For three, four-year terms, Borough Council President Kim Segal-Morris received 718 votes, Councilman David Appelbaum 724 votes, and Councilwoman Michelle Sharer got 705 votes.

There were no Republicans on the borough general election ballot.