Local Politics is an as-needed column on the political scene in Montgomery County filled with speculation, opinion, and more.

Two sources tell MoreThanTheCurve.com that Jamila Winder (D), chair of the East Norriton Township Board of Supervisors and a former member of the Norristown Area School District Board, is the favorite to be appointed to fill the open seat on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners due to the resignation of Dr. Val Arkoosh. Dr. Arkoosh was appointed to be the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Those who sought the appointment to fill the seat on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners had until January 23rd to submit an application. Montgomery County judges will make the appointment. However, no timeline has been published for the judges to make an appointment. Since the county board has seats reserved for the party that wins the majority in the election, the judges must fill the seat with a member of the Democratic Party (due to Dr. Arkoosh being a Democrat). Twenty-two people submitted applications according to the Times Herald.

Winder served on the Norristown Area School District Board from 2017 to 2020. She resigned from that position when she was appointed to a seat on the East Norritown Board of Supervisors when Amanda Cappalletti resigned after winning a seat in the state senate.

According to her Linkedin page, she is a vice president with Lecturio, an online learning platform for healthcare professionals.

Winder launched a campaign for the Montgomery County Register of Wills on January 17th. If our sources are right (and they better be), she would likely switch to run in the race to fill all three seats on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. The appointment to fill Dr. Arkoosh’s seat is only until the end of the year.

Winder is a lifelong resident of East Norriton and a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and Eastern University.

Photo: Jamila Winder