So want to have a vote on all the development proposals in Conshy? There are four seats on Borough Council up for grabs in 2015. The seats and incumbents are:

• Ward 1 (Karen Tutino, D)
• Ward 3 (Paul McConnell, D)
• Ward 5 (Matt Ryan, D)
• Ward 7 (Ed Phipps, D)
• Click to see map of wards

As you can see, all four incumbents are Democrats. Please also note that we have not asked if the incumbents plan to run again.

If you think winning a local race in Conshohocken is tough, consider this in regards to the 2011 election.

• There were 350 votes cast in Ward 1. Only 44 votes separated the winner and loser. So if you can get 150 of your neighbors to vote for you, you have solid chance. 
• There were 212 votes cast in Ward 3. This ward had the lowest turnout. McConnell won by a solid 118 votes, but only had 165 votes total. So again, if you can get 150 of your neighbors to vote for you, you have a solid chance.
• There were 235 votes cast in Ward 5. This was the closest race as Ryan won by only three votes, 119 to 116. If you can get 100 people to vote for you, you have a solid chance to win.
• The race in Ward 7 was uncontested. There were 224 votes cast and all went to Phipps. Since he received all the votes and we do not have the benefit of knowing how the vote would have went if it was contested, it is harder to judge. But based on the outcomes in the other three elections, we figure 150 votes gives you a good chance to win.

The above tells you what you will need to do based on past history to win a seat on Borough Council. But how hard is it to get on the ballot? All of the primaries went uncontested.

• The Republican for Ward 1 received 36 votes
• The Republican for Ward 3 received 21 votes
• The Republican for Ward 5 received 46 votes
• There was not a Republican candidate for Ward 7
• The Democrat in Ward 1 received 57 votes
• The Democrat in Ward 3 received 46 votes
• The Democrat in Ward 5 received 62 votes
• The Democrat in Ward 7 received 57 votes

What does that mean? If you can get 50 to 60 of your fellow party members in your neighborhood to vote for you, you can likely win the primary and get on the ballot in any ward.

Want to run as an independent? Here are the details from the county’s website:

An individual may also decide to run as an independent, bypassing the Primary Election and competing directly in November for the office they are seeking. A candidate may not run as an independent if they are a registered member of a political party. To qualify, a candidate must withdraw from their registered political party at least thirty (30) days prior to the Primary Election and remain unaffiliated through the November Election. Additionally, the candidate may not participate in the Primary Election in any way, including filing nomination petitions or running a write-in campaign. Withdrawal or rejection of your nomination petition does not excuse you from this rule.

Candidates filing nomination papers must obtain signatures from qualified registered electors of the district in an amount equal to at least 2% of the largest entire vote cast for an elected candidate at the last election within the district. The number of signatures required may not be less than the number of signatures required for party candidates for the same office. Candidates seeking access to the November ballot through Nomination Papers must contact the County Board of Elections to calculate the required number of signatures needed for the office they are seeking.

So basically you need a few signatures and you can jump right past the primary and get on the ballot for the actual election.

So who wants to run?