NEW CASTLE Latina wins ballot flap

A more detailed instruction sheet will be given out before the next primary.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A New Castle man's name will appear on both party ballots this May in his bid for city school director.
Anthony J. Latina's Republican petition was initially rejected by the county elections director when she saw correction fluid on the spot signed by the person who circulated the petition.
Latina, a Democrat, said he initially signed all the petitions, but "whited out" his signature when he realized the spot was meant for the person circulating the petition.
In Pennsylvania, school board candidates are permitted to run on both Democratic and Republican tickets in primary elections, but the nominating petitions must be circulated by a member of that political party.
Latina appealed the decision of county elections Director Marlene Gabriel to the county elections board, saying he was never told he could not use correction fluid on his petition.
A written decision, issued late last week, sided with Latina.
Ruling: Elections board member Roger DeCarbo said they decided Latina's Republican petition was OK when they realized a three-page instruction sheet given out by the county elections office did not address using correction fluid.
A second problem, where Latina wrote the wrong political party name on the face of the petition, was also not addressed in the county election office instructions, he said.
"Our three-page explanation didn't go into that detail. If you don't know purdons [election code], whiting out is not an issue. Writing the wrong party on the face of the ballot is not an issue," he said.
DeCarbo said the elections board has instructed Gabriel to make a more detailed instruction sheet for the next election.