Singer off Philadelphia ballot? She's hoping judge will reconsider

A judge on Thursday is scheduled to hear City Commissioner Stephanie Singer's last-ditch effort to remain on the ballot in her bid for a second term on the board that oversees Philadelphia elections.

Common Pleas Court Judge Joel Johnson is expected to take up Singer's requests to reconsider rulings from a four-day hearing last week that culminated Monday with his order to remove her from the May 19 Democratic primary election ballot.

Charles Goodwin, Singer's lawyer, and Richard Hoy, the lawyer for the three voters who challenged Singer's nomination petitions, declined to comment Tuesday.

Singer filed 1,485 signatures on nomination petitions March 10.

One out of every three was withdrawn by her or stricken by Johnson during last week's hearing.

That left Singer with 996 signatures - four short of the 1,000-name requirement.

Singer, 50, is a former ward leader and math professor. She has vowed to appeal to the state Commonwealth Court if Johnson does not reverse the ruling that removed her from the ballot.