Judge orders Mandel campaign out of polling places

A Common Pleas Court judge has ordered Brett Mandel, a candidate in the Democratic primary election for City Controller, to stop campaigning inside polling places today.

A complaint filed this morning in Election Court by City Controller Alan Butkovitz's campaign and a South Philly polling place judge of elections claimed that Mandel strolled around St. Maron's Church at 10th and Ellsworth streets at 7:45 a.m., where four divisions of the 2nd Ward vote. The judge of elections claimed Mandel handed him a campaign sticker and "advocated for his election."

A judge ruled for Butkovitz and the judge of elections, ordering Mandel to stop the electioneering inside polling places.

The Committee of 70, which is monitoring polling places all over the city, said that was the most notable event so far in a low-turnout election.  At another division of the 2nd Ward, the District Attorney's Office had to step in when the Judge of Elections refused to seat a minority inspector.