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Suzanne DiVito Simonelli
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Suzanne DiVito Simonelli is the former Region 6 representative on the Downingtown Area School District school board in Pennsylvania. Simonelli lost a re-election campaign in the by-district general election on November 7, 2017.
Pennsylvania permits school board candidates to cross-file in primary elections. This means that a candidate may file to run in the primary election for both the Democratic and Republican parties. If a candidate cross-files, he or she needs to win in one party's primary election to advance to the general election. A candidate may also appear on both party's ballots in the general election if he or she wins both nominations in the primary.
Biography
Simonelli's committee assignments have included the Board Curriculum Council, Policy Committee, and Finance Committee. Prior to serving on the school board, Simonelli held office on the East Ward Elementary Home and School Association for three years. She has also worked as the financial director for Countryside Consulting, LLC.
Simonelli has been affiliated with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She earned her master's in journalism from Temple University and her bachelor's in business administration from the University of Richmond. She also earned a C.P.A.[1][2]
Elections
2017
Four of the nine seats on the Downingtown Area School District school board were up for by-district general election on November 7, 2017. A partisan primary election was held on May 16, 2017.
Region 2 incumbent David Kring cross-filed for re-election as both a Democrat and a Republican and ran unopposed in the primary and the general. Region 4 board member Rodney Simon II cross-filed for re-election and faced cross-filed candidates Rebecca Britton and Deanie Gauntlett in the primary. Britton won the Democratic nomination and Simon won the Republican nomination. Britton then defeated Simon in the general election. Region 6 incumbent Suzanne DiVito Simonelli cross-filed for re-election and ran in the primary without facing formal opposition. She won the Republican nomination and write-in candidate Lee Ann Wisdom won the Democratic nomination. Wisdom went on to defeat the incumbent in the general election. Region 8 incumbent Barbara Albright filed for re-election as a Republican and faced no opposition in the primary or general election.[3][4][5][6]
These candidates could have faced independent candidates in the general election. However, no independent candidate filed by the August 1, 2017, deadline to get on the ballot.[7]
General results
| Downingtown Area School District, Region 6 General Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Lee Ann Wisdom |
54.04% | 936 | |
| Republican | Suzanne DiVito Simonelli Incumbent | 45.67% | 791 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.29% | 5 | ||
| Total Votes | 1,732 | |||
| Source: Chester County Pennsylvania, "November 7, 2017 Municipal Election Results - Cumulative Results," accessed November 8, 2017 These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available. | ||||
Democratic primary results
| Downingtown Area School District, Region 6 Democratic Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Lee Ann Wisdom |
65.42% | 157 | |
| Democratic | Suzanne DiVito Simonelli Incumbent | 34.58% | 83 | |
| Total Votes | 240 | |||
| Source: Chester County, "Official Results," accessed June 20, 2017 | ||||
Republican primary results
| Downingtown Area School District, Region 6 Republican Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Suzanne DiVito Simonelli Incumbent (unopposed) |
93.24% | 138 | |
| Write-in votes | 6.76% | 10 | ||
| Total Votes | 148 | |||
| Source: Chester County, "Official Results," accessed June 20, 2017 | ||||
Funding
Simonelli filed an exemption from campaign finance reporting, intending to stay under $250 total in contributions and expenditures.[8]
| 2017 Campaign Finance Deadlines in Pennsylvania[9] | |
|---|---|
| Date | Deadline |
| May 5, 2017 | 2nd Friday Pre-Primary report due |
| June 15, 2017 | 30-Day Post-Primary report due |
| October 27, 2017 | 2nd Friday Pre-Election report due |
| December 7, 2017 | 30-Day Post-Election report due |
School board candidates in Pennsylvania were required to report their campaign finance activity. Those who spent or received more than $250 in a reporting period had to file full reports. Those below the threshold had to file forms to declare they were exempt from reporting. Candidates could have, but were not required to, form committees to handle campaign finance transactions. They were not required to have separate bank accounts for campaign purposes.[10]
The table to the left details the four campaign finance deadlines in 2017.[9]
2013
Simonelli ran against Dawn Richter in the general election on November 5, 2013. Simonelli won the Republican nomination in the primary on May 21, 2013.
Results
| Downingtown Area School District, Region 6 General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Suzanne Divito Simonelli Incumbent |
57.8% | 487 | |
| Democrat | Dawn Richter | 42.2% | 356 | |
| Total Votes | 843 | |||
| Source: Chester County, Pennsylvania, "Summary Report," accessed December 13, 2013 | ||||
| Downingtown Area School District Region 6 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Suzanne Divito Simonelli |
56.9% | 156 | |
| Republican | Dawn C. Richter | 43.1% | 118 | |
| Republican | Write-In | 0% | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 274 | |||
| Source: Chester County Election Results | ||||
| Downingtown Area School District Region 6 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democrat | Dawn C. Richter |
56.3% | 85 | |
| Democrat | Suzanne Divito Simonelli | 42.4% | 64 | |
| Democrat | Write-In | 1.3% | 2 | |
| Total Votes | 151 | |||
| Source: Chester County Election Results | ||||
Funding
Simonelli reported $1,200.00 in contributions and $1,074.61 in expenditures, leaving her campaign with $125.39 cash on hand in the election.[8]
Endorsements
Simonelli did not receive any endorsements for her campaign.
Campaign themes
2017
Simonelli answered Ballotpedia's question "What is your political philosophy?" by saying, "I believe Downingtown Area School District must offer an excellent education at a price taxpayers can afford."[2]
See also
- Downingtown Area School District, Pennsylvania
- Downingtown Area School District elections (2017)
- Downingtown Area School District elections (2013)
External links
- Downingtown Area School District
- Office website
- Suzanne DiVito Simonelli 2017 Facebook campaign page
Footnotes
- ↑ Facebook, "Suzanne D. Simonelli, DASD School Director," accessed October 11, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form on October 17, 2017
- ↑ Chester County, "Unofficial Results," accessed May 16, 2017
- ↑ Chester County, "May 16, 2017 Municipal Primary Election Candidate Report," accessed May 11, 2017
- ↑ Chester County, "Write-In Winners," accessed June 19, 2017
- ↑ Chester County Pennsylvania, "November 7, 2017 Municipal Election Results - Cumulative Results," accessed November 8, 2017
- ↑ Chester County, "Official Candidate Report for Chester County, Pennsylvania," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Elisabeth Moore, "Email exchange with Suzanne DiVito Simonelli," October 19, 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Pennsylvania Department of State, "2017 Election Calendar," accessed April 19, 2017
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Campaign Finance Reporting Law," accessed January 15, 2014
| Downingtown Area School District elections in 2017 | |
| Chester County, Pennsylvania | |
| Election date: | Primary: May 16, 2017 General: November 7, 2017 |
| Candidates: | Region 2: Incumbent, David Kring (D/R) Region 4: Incumbent, Rodney Simon II (R) • Rebecca Britton (D) • Deanie Gauntlett (D/R) |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
