Lebanon County DA race: Why Pier Hess Graf and Michael Light will face off again on Nov. 4
Incumbent Pier Hess Graf and senior public defender Michael Light II will square off again in the general election for Lebanon County District Attorney.
The Lebanon County Commissioners, who serve as the election board, voted to cumulate the variations of write-in votes for Light, making him eligible to be on the ballot as the Democratic nominee for the district attorney race in the November election.
No candidate officially ran on the Democratic ticket for Tuesday's primary. According to county officials, 100 write-in votes are required to secure the nomination. After the commissioners voted to count all the variations of his name, Light had 263 write-in votes.
"I'm looking at this list of 13 Mike Light, 97 for Michael Light II, 53 for Michael Light, 12 for Michael J. Light and 88 for Michael J. Light II," Commissioner Michael Kuhn said at the meeting. "In my opinion, they are all trying to vote for the same person."
Light filed a request with the election board to cumulate the write-in votes for the Democratic nomination, according to county solicitor Matthew Bugli. Neither Light nor Graf appeared at Friday's election board meeting.
"(Light) indicated in his petition that he is the only licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by the name of Michael Light, and obviously one of the requirements for district attorney is that you be a licensed attorney," Bugli told the board.
Bugli added that a letter will be sent to Light to accept of reject that nomination.
In an email to the Lebanon Daily News, Light said he plans to accept the board's decision to cumulate the votes and "represent the people of Lebanon County no matter what form of political status."
"This race is not about politics," he wrote. "This race is about the will of the people and their need for change when it comes to the office of the district attorney. Right now I'm the only one seeking that change. I want to bring integrity back to the office. I will not give people reasons to report me to the disciplinary board. I will effectuate justice no matter what race, political background, social status, or any other factors. Everyone will be treated the same and be shown respect."
Light added that he is "looking forward to unifying the practice of law in Lebanon County to be similar in the surrounding counties and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." He also appreciates all the votes and support from the Democratic Party.
"I hope Republicans, independents, Democrats, and all other political parties vote for me and the change to the administration of the office of the district attorney," he said.
Graf won on the Republican ticket during Tuesday's primary with 2,437 votes, according to unofficial results. Light received 1,394 votes.
Speaking about her win Friday morning before the election board meeting, Graf thanked the Lebanon community for her election win.
"It's four more years of keeping people safe putting bad guys behind bars and deporting illegal criminals," she said.
Graf said she treats the running of a campaign the same way she treats a trial: it's a competition.
"When you go into it, you're going to prepare, you're going to work very hard, and you're going to do everything that you can to win," she said. "So in a trial, you are trying to fight for your victim and for your community. When it comes to the campaign, I'm fighting for the ability to continue to do this job that I love, and that I truly feel that I was born to do this."
Graf received 69 write-in votes in the Democratic primary.
The general election will be held on Nov. 4.
York Daily Record reporter Teresa Boeckel contributed to this story.
Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon County DA candidate Michael Light wins Democratic nomination
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