Delco Republican removed from county council ballot, clearing path for uncontested primary

Charlie Alexander, a right-wing activist who was running for Delaware County Council without a party endorsement, has been removed from May’s GOP primary ballot in a decision that essentially ended the GOP primary for two county council seats.

In an interview Thursday, Alexander told The Inquirer that Delaware County Judge George Pagano ruled Thursday that Alexander’s name could not appear on the May 20 primary ballot.

Pagano ruled in favor of the three Delaware County Republicans who challenged Alexander’s candidacy earlier this week arguing he was ineligible to run for office because he failed to file a statement of financial interest with the Delaware County Clerk’s office by the March 12 deadline.

State law requires all candidates for office to file their financial interest statements to the local governing authority before the deadline to submit their petition to run for office. Candidates must also attach those forms to the petitions they submit to the county election board.

According to the challenge, brought by the GOP voters including former Glenolden Council President Tom Danzi, Alexander attached his financial interest form to his petitions but failed to file it with the Delaware County clerk.

Alexander said he intends to appeal the decision and will run a write-in campaign if he is unable to get his name back on the ballot.

A political newcomer, Alexander became active last year when he began spreading unfounded theories about undocumented immigrants in Delaware County and accusing the Democratic-controlled county council of secretly planning to harbor undocumented immigrants.

Alexander opted to run without the GOP endorsement last month, launching a long-shot primary against the party’s endorsed candidates, former Upper Darby Councilperson Brian Burke and former county worker Liz Piazza.

On the heels of a 23% county property tax increase last year, Republicans see 2025 as a key opportunity to regain representation on the five-member county council that is currently made up entirely of Democrats. The Republican candidates will face incumbent councilman Richard Womack and County Controller Joanne Phillips, who are running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

But in the lead-up to the May primary, party infighting has been persistent. One of the party’s initial endorsed candidates withdrew from the race following criticism from other Republicans. Meanwhile, Alexander has persistently criticized the Republican establishment and insisted Thursday the petition against him was a sign that party leaders feared his candidacy.

“I find it to be a bad will effort by the Delaware County GOP to disenfranchise voters in Delaware County,” Alexander said.