Court Opinion

ID: 9698186
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:44:15.250685+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:38.478471
License: Public Domain

POMEROY, Justice,
concurring.
I do not join in the Court’s opinion, for to me it is clear that the erroneous designation of the congressional district in which appellant sought to run was a “material error” within the meaning of Section 976 of the Election Code, Act of June 3, 1937, P.L. 1333, art. IX, as amended, 25 P.S. § 2936 (Supp.1977-78), thus requiring the Secretary of the Commonwealth to reject the petition.
I concur in the result, however, because in my view the Commonwealth Court had the power to permit the petition to be amended and to direct that it be accepted as if timely filed. On this record I believe that the Commonwealth Court should have exercised its discretion in favor of so ordering. See Petition of Ross, 411 Pa. 45, 48, 190 A.2d 719 (1963); Carter Appeal, 398 Pa. 548, 550, 159 A.2d 691 (1960). Cf. Section 977 of the Election Code, supra, 25 P.S. § 2937, which authorizes a court to permit amendments correcting “material errors or defects apparent on the face of the nomination petition or paper” which are objected to by third parties.