Stickers are pictured during the primary election at the Orchard Hill Church on Tuesday in Butler. Joseph Ressler/Butler Eagle 5/17/22election DME vote

Two Butler County Republican Committee members have challenged nomination petitions filed by nine candidates, including seven fellow committee members, to run in the April 23 primary for committee seats.

Gary Vanasdale, former committee chairman, and Chester Jack, interim chairman, filed the challenges in Butler County Common Plea Court on Tuesday, Feb. 20, which was the deadline to file challenges of nomination petitions. The deadline to circulate and file petitions was Feb. 14.

Vanasdale and Jack filed challenges against petitions from committee members Terrance Berry of Butler City Ward 5, Karen Newpol of Cranberry Township West 3, Patricia Stirling of Lancaster Township, Erik Edwards of Penn Township West, Cheryl Guenther of Prospect, Michael Freeze of Summit Township North, and Bruce E. Knoechel of Zelienople 2.

Challenges were also filed against Robert Gregor, who filed a petition to represent Jackson Township 2 on the committee, and Jada L. Berry, who filed a petition run for the Butler City Ward 5 committee seat.

A total of 146 people filed nomination petitions to run for committee positions in the primary.

The challenges to the petitions of Stirling, Guenther, Knoechel and Gregor claim they did not have their candidate affidavits notarized as required.

Stirling, 75, said she has represented Lancaster Township on the committee for 25 years and doesn’t understand why her petition, which was accepted by the county Election Bureau, is being challenged.

“I filed it in a way that seemed the most correct and appropriate,” Stirling said.

She said she has worked without pay as a committee member in the rain and snow in many primaries and general elections over the years because she believes in civic duty.

“It’s a job someone needs to do, and I’m proud to do it,” Stirling said.

Knoechel said the instructions for the nomination petitions give candidates the option of completing a candidate affidavit and having it notarized or signing an unsworn declaration in lieu of notarization, and he said he signed and submitted the unsworn declaration. A copy of the declaration is included in the challenge.

“I have to wonder about the vindictive motivation to cause such turmoil among those attempting to represent the Republican Party in Butler County,” Knoechel said.

The validity of eight of the 15 signatures on Jada Berry’s petition were challenged. Candidates are required to obtain 10 signatures of voters on their nomination petitions.

Berry said she believes she filled out the petition properly and plans to run “by the book and honestly.”

Freeze didn’t sign the “statement of circulator” on the back of the petition that must be signed by the person who circulated the petition, according to the challenge.

Edwards didn’t fill in the title and term of office being sought on his petition, according to the challenge.

Newpol failed to notarize her candidate affidavit and listed retired as her profession even though she is an elected Cranberry Township supervisor, according to the challenge.

The validity of six signatures on Terrence Berry’s petition were challenged.

No hearings, motions or arguments over the challenges have been scheduled in civil court.