The Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee held a candidate petition signing party Tuesday night at the Brownstone Building at Sunrise of Abington.

The event was designed for the Democrats to get their guys on the primary ballot. 

“This is kind of what we’ve been doing for the last three years,” ARDC Chairman Michael Barbiero said. “On the first night of petition signing, we’ve been having this party to sort of jump start the campaign.”

A candidate for township commissioner or school board needs 10 signatures to be on the primary ballot. Tuesday was the first day in a three-week period in which prospective candidates may gather signatures to be placed on the ballot — the deadline is March 12, according to Barbiero.

And this year is rather important for the Democrats — and the Republicans — as nine of the 15 township board of commissioners seats will be up for vote in November.

“It’s crazy that nine seats are open,” he said. “We had two [commissioners leave] and they had two leave. There are a lot of open seats, and obviously, people here are pretty enthused.”

According to the ARDC, there are over 20,000 registered Democratic voters in Abington and Rockledge.

Many of the Democrats who attended the event last night brought food to be donated to the Abington Food Cupboard at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church on Parkview Avenue. Barbiero said the ARDC usually holds a food drive in the spring and the summer, but added that the cupboard was in dire need of food now.  

If you couldn’t make it out to the event, the food cupboard is always taking donations. For more information, call 215-885-2234.