Sturla challenger bounced from ballot

A Lancaster city man who intended to challenge Democratic state Rep. Mike Sturla as an independent candidate was denied a spot on the November ballot.

It's not that Paul Culbreth didn't have enough signatures.

In fact, he and his supporters gathered nearly 600 of them — far more than the 378 he needed to turn in to the Department of State by 5 p.m. Monday.

But when Culbreth got to Harrisburg, elections officials told him he wasn't eligible because he had not appointed a "committee of three."

"They didn't accept the petitions," Culbreth said.

Under state elections regulations, candidates are required to name at least three people on their nomination papers who could appoint someone else to run should the candidate drop out.

Culbreth said he was unaware of such a rule.

"They didn't state that until I handed over the packet of information to them," he said.

Culbreth offered, at the state department office, to write in the names of three of his supporters. But officials said that would not work, because the names had to have been on the papers when they were being circulated.

"It was just disappointing," Culbreth said.

Culbreth, who is the director of multicultural affairs at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, said he is considering a legal challenge to get on the ballot.

He called the rules for third-party candidates misleading and confusing, particularly the "committee of three" requirement.

"I was like, 'Wow.' This is something they had to tell you because you just can't read it in the instructions," Culbreth said.

But in the end, Culbreth acknowledges his mistake.

"Being a novice, ignorance is no excuse for missing something like that," he said.

He said he received strong support from voters while gathering signatures.

"It was quite evident that the community is really upset with Mike's performance," Culbreth said.

Sturla, who is seeking his 11th two-year term in the state House, will face Republican Thomas L. Garman Jr. on Nov. 2.

tmurse@lnpnews.com