O'Donnell wins Republican nomination for DA, 907 write in votes on Democratic side

May 16—SUNBURY — Sunbury attorney and political newcomer Michael O'Donnell won the Republican nomination for the Northumberland County District Attorney seat, but will have to wait to see if he earned enough Democratic write-in votes to outlast current District Attorney Tony Matulewicz, who staged a write-in campaign last week.

O'Donnell, of Sunbury, who works in the Northumberland County Special Conflicts Office, earned 7,700 votes unofficially to secure the nomination after Matulewicz, a Republican, was not allowed on the ballot because county officials and a senior judge said the Mount Carmel resident missed the filing deadline in March.

Matulewicz challenged the county ruling and appeared before Columbia County Senior Judge Thomas James saying he was in the office and filed his paperwork in what he believed was before the 5 p.m. deadline.

The county's deadline was 4:30 p.m. and Matulewicz's paperwork was clocked in at 5:01 p.m., and accepted by the office in what officials described as a courtesy to the district attorney.

James ruled even though the office accepted the paperwork, Matulewicz failed to pay the fees that go along with the filings and the office was closed at 4:30 p.m.

Matulewicz launched a late write-in campaign and said crime doesn't have a party and asked voters to give the two-term district attorney, another four years, by allowing him to run in November.

Unofficial election results show 907 Democratic write-in votes, but they were not counting them until later today, according to Northumberland County Chief Clerk Nate Savidge.

If O'Donnell outlasts Matulewicz on the write-in votes, he will secure both nominations and will be unopposed in November.