Democrats swept the municipal election in Derry Township

Derry Township, Pennsylvania — Derry Township Democrats swept the ballot this week in an election that was said to be a rebuke of alleged corruption within the county GOP. Democrats eased their new supervisors onto the general election ballot with successful write-in campaigns in May, therefore spending zero dollars in the primary election. The school board candidates in Derry Township were all strategically cross-filed and faced no opposition in the primary or general election.

Sandy Ballard, who formerly served on the board from 2009 to 2015, will be back on the Derry Township Board of Supervisors for the next 6 years after receiving 4,783 votes in the general election.

Rob Myers won his first election for a 6-year term on the Derry Township Board of Supervisors with 4,357 votes. Rob currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Derry Township Democratic Committee.

Bruno Bellucci III won his first election for a 2-year term on the Derry Township Board of Supervisors with 4,784 votes.

Rogette Harris made history as the first Black woman to be elected in Derry Township history. She earned 6,635 votes to be elected to a full 6-year term as Auditor. Derry Township boasts a 1.67% Black population. Harris currently serves as Madam Chair of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee.

Louis Paioletti reigns supreme in Derry Township after receiving 6,938 votes to be re-elected as Tax Collector. Paioletti is an Italian-American dual citizen who adequately represents the vast Italian community in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

The school board election in Derry Township was merely a formality with every member of the campaign team strategically cross-filed on the primary ballot, providing four options to fill four open seats. The block of candidates were uncontested on the general election ballot.

Candidates Lesa Brackbill received 5,156 votes, Christine Stickler received 5,202 votes, and Nicole Searfoss received 5,281 votes.

School Board Director Lindsay Drew was controversially re-elected amid the fallout at Cocoa Packs where she was forced to resign after a financial scandal ended the construction of a new facility for the organization earlier this year.

In the final days before the election, Derry Township Supervisor Natalie Nutt sent out a woeful last-minute campaign letter casting blame upon her opposition for manufacturing controversy at a recent board meeting packed with members of the public.

The Dauphin County GOP, which supported Nutt’s campaign, has been plagued amid the fallout of former Dauphin County Commissioner Haste, and political cronies Mike Musser, and David Feidt. An ongoing FBI investigation into high level corruption in the county allegedly involves bid rigging, kickbacks, and pay-to-play for government contracts.

It should be noted that Lindsay Drew also resigned from her role as the Chair of the Derry Township Democratic Committee in 2020 for allegedly allowing Brad Koplinski (former Harrisburg City Councilman) to knock on township doors and walk with children in the 2019 Hershey halloween parade.

Drew responded for comment to Harrisburg100 at the time, insisting it wasn’t her decision, saying she was out of town on vacation while Koplinski’s was canvassing the town. In September of 2020, Koplinski was charged with 15 counts of child pornography after admitting to at least 36 instances. None of the alleged victims were known to be from Derry Township. Koplinski was also previously charged with felony burglary and criminal trespass in 2016 in Philadelphia, according to court documents.

In 2020, Lindsay Drew and Art Titzel endorsed Tom Brier for Congress in PA-10. Titzel was was a middle school teacher in Derry Township who was later arrested for child pornography in 2022.