CLEARFIELD – A petition for a local magistrate candidate was challenged Thursday in Clearfield County Court.
Current District Judge Patrick Ford filed a petition to set aside both the democratic and republican nomination petitions of David S. Meholick, who is running for district judge in the same district (46-3-01) where Ford is running for re-election.
Senior Judge David E. Grine heard arguments regarding Ford’s claim that because Meholick’s name does not appear on his nomination petitions for inclusion on the ballot for the primary elections exactly as it does on his voter registration record, they should be disqualified.
Ford’s petition included copies of the instructions for filing nominating petitions explaining this specific requirement.
Meholick’s name on the voter record is David Sean Meholick while the nomination petitions have it as David S. Meholick, according to court documents.
Grine ruled Thursday that Ford’s request to set aside Meholick’s nomination petitions be dismissed.
Grine ordered Meholick to file an amended petition with his name as it appears on the voter record within five days. He also added that if there is any cost to do this, it should be paid by Ford, according to the court order.
The other candidate for this position, David A. Cuneo of Huston Township, has also filed nomination petitions for both parties, according to the county Web site.
Meholick ran against Ford unsuccessfully in the 2011 primary.
The 46-3-01 district consists of DuBois City, Sandy Township, Grampian Borough, Troutville Borough, Bloom Township, Brady Township, Huston Township, Penn Township, Pine Township and Union Township.
