There is a stunner of a letter to the editor in Main Line Life about Radnor. And if we read it right, is this about that 5th ward where the race was won by only 3 votes? And if that race was only won by three votes and this letter infers problems with at least 2 of the 3 votes, well where does that leave that race and shouldn't the party bosses of BOTH political parties in Radnor and Delaware County be seriously discussing this?

Poor poor Radnor, and poor 5th ward - first came the news of the child porn aficionado from Moore Avenue named Clifford A. Balson, 57, 727 Moore Ave., Bryn Mawr, Delaware County. Then that slip and fall gone wrong lawyer, H. Allen Litt, doesn't he hail from these parts too?

So anyway, without further ado:

Posted on Thu, Dec 20, 2007
Letters to tdhe Editor

To the Editor:

To the residents of Radnor's Fifth Ward: I would like to present you with some facts concerning the recent election and a Husband Wife who voted in the Fifth Ward.

In the spring, before the primary, a letter concerning the Act 1 referendum that I had sent to these folks as part of a Ward-wide mailing was returned to me as Undeliverable. I dutifully noted this fact in my election database. As I was canvassing over the summer and fall I visited the former address of husband and wife and confirmed they no longer live at that address, it is now a rental property. This explained why my letter had been returned. I was told by neighbors that they had moved at least two years prior. When I got a copy of the updated voter registration list in the fall, I noted that husband and wife were still registered at the old address. This did not surprise me because these lists are notorious for being out dated. However, I was surprised to see that they had voted in the Fifth Ward in the Primary. This warranted further investigation. First I googled their names and found an address in the Fourth Ward. The telephone directories also give the same Fourth Ward address. Next I looked at the county real estate information on line. The Fifth Ward property is indeed owned by husband and wife, however the taxpayer information section lists the Fourth Ward address. Lastly, I confirmed they also own and live at the Fourth Ward address cited for Taxpayer information. Did I mention, one of these folks was a Committee person, not mine?

Armed with this information I instructed my Poll Watcher to challenge Husband and Wife if they came to vote in the Fifth Ward in November. Unfortunately, Husband got past my Watcher during a brief break but Wife did not, and was challenged. The Judge of Elections contacted Media and was told that the individual would be permitted to vote if she signed an affidavit stating that she lived at the Fifth Ward address listed on the voter register. After signing the affidavit, she preceded to vote.

So what do you think? The lawyers tell me, The residency argument is very tricky. In my non-lawyer mind, where you sleep and where your wife and family sleep is where you live, not to mention where the County and U.S. Postal Service think you reside. Maybe this election was even closer than you thought.

John Nagle

Disclaimer: this letter is available publicly online and on page 4 of the 12/19/2007 edition of Main Line Life. We did not originate it, and if the letter is true OR if the letter is untrue, then the truth is the best defense. What is the truth here? We're listening.