Appeals court rules Ventre, Kosko to remain on GOP ballot for Westmoreland commissioner

Rich Cholodofsky, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 7—Two Republican candidates for Westmoreland County commissioner can remain on the May ballot, according to an appeals court ruling issued Friday.

John Ventre and Paul Kosko will continue in their bids to oust Republican incumbents Sean Kertes and Doug Chew in the May 16 GOP primary.

Commonwealth Court rejected the appeal raised by county Republican committee Chairman Bill Bretz, who claimed Ventre and Kosko did not submit proper campaign documents to appear as candidates on the primary ballot.

Bretz argued state election code required the candidates to submit statements of financial interest with the election bureau and the county's chief clerk. Neither Ventre nor Kosko filed the document with the chief clerk.

After a hearing last month, Common Pleas Judge Jim Silvis ruled that filing the same document with two county offices was unnecessary.

"This losing tactic by Bretz is about delaying my campaigning," Ventre said. "It is all-in for me now. I doubt the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear it."

But Kosko said he expects an appeal to be filed. Bretz, through attorney Scott Avolio, confirmed that the state Supreme Court will be asked to review the case.

"This is a victory for the voters of Westmoreland County," Kosko said. "Let them decide."

Bretz previously said he initially sought to remove to remove Ventre and Kosko from the ballot to bolster the campaigns of the two incumbents, whom he personally endorsed. The Republican committee also endorsed the incumbents in February.

Avolio said Friday the continued effort to remove Ventre and Kosko from the ballot is not about the challenge they pose to the GOP incumbents.

"It's about clarifying this conflict in the appellate courts and an understanding of if there is new rules to filing (for election)," Avolio said.

The county has yet to print its ballots for next month's primary. A scheduled test of the voting equipment is slated for next week, but it is unclear how a potential appeal will impact preparations.

Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey said the county is withholding comment until Commonwealth Court files an opinion, as the ruling did not include an explanation for its affirmation of the lower court's decision. A written opinion will be filed at a later date, the court said.

With Friday's ruling, five Republicans remain as candidates seeking two GOP nominations for county commissioner.

Former chief deputy sheriff Patricia Fritz also is seeking the Republican nomination. Ventre, Kosko and Fritz ran unsuccessfully for GOP commissioner nominations in 2019.

The top two voter-getters in May will face two Democrats for three seats on the board of commissioners in the fall election.

Former commissioner Ted Kopas and Scottdale resident Sydney Hovis are the lone Democrats campaigning in the race.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .