In re Pennsylvania General Election for Snyder County Commissioner

DISSENTING OPINION BY

Judge LEAVITT.

I respectfully dissent. “The technicalities of the [Pennsylvania] Election [Code1] ... are necessary for the preservation of the secrecy and purity of the ballot and must, therefore, be meticulously observed.” In re Primary Election of April 28, 1964, 415 Pa. 327, 336, 203 A.2d 212, 217 (1964). While it is true that the deci-sional law of this Commonwealth generally frowns upon discounting a vote where voter intent can be discerned, see, e.g., Appeal of James, 377 Pa. 405, 410, 105 A.2d 64, 66 (1954), “violations of substantive provisions of the [Election]…