Following adjournment of the Aug. 21 public meeting, Santiago’s attorney, Steve Masters, asked about his request to remove Everett “Erika” Bickford as a judge of elections through a referral and petition to the Court of Common Pleas.

He noted the election board had not made a resolution on the subject during the meeting.

Earlier during the meeting, Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong stated it was his impression that, because it’s an elected office, she could only be impeached by the state Legislature.

Deputy Solicitor Sarah Murray said Bickford could only be removed through impeachment or if convicted of misbehavior in office or infamous crime.

While the board had found suspicious circumstances, Bickford had not been convicted.

Armstrong and Chief Clerk Tim Benyo said in the upcoming November election, another election worker would be assigned to the polling place to keep an eye on and assist Bickford, although no formal motion or resolution was made during the meeting.

Armstrong reiterated to Masters the board could only wait until criminal charges were filed and, in the meantime, would follow the aforementioned proposed solution.

“To continue to have a judge of elections that clearly has committed multiple violations of the election code and appeared completely unapologetic about it, to me, means she is not fit to serve as a judge of elections,” Masters said. “To put someone to babysit her or to be alongside her is just another insult to the voters of that ward.”

Murray said Bickford was an elected official and referred to state constitution sections regarding the removal of civil officers, again noting impeachment or conviction for misbehavior or of infamous crime was needed for removal.

Audience members objected, and several individuals said Bickford had misbehaved in her official duties.

Masters said he believed the board could still go to court or file a lawsuit on the matter.

“I would be highly shocked if a court would allow her to continue in her position,” he said. “I believe your resistance to going to court to remove her says that you don’t really want to take every action that you could to remove her from office, and that to me is not the right kind of message you want to send to the voters.”

Masters also said it was the board’s responsibility to ensure free, secure and fair elections, and if Bickford or any other person was impeding the rights of voters to cast ballots, the election board is entitled to go to court or call the authorities to have the person removed from the polling place.

“If someone is interfered and disenfranchising people, and taking away people’s rights to vote, that’s your responsibility,” he said.

Murray said the board would continue to look into possible removal and pursue the matter before the Nov. 3 election.

Santiago and audience members asked about making public comments on the subject of Bickford’s removal.

Murray said the meeting had already been adjourned and it was only meant to address Santiago and Masters’ letter, and thus there would be no public comments.

Members of the public pushed back, noting the subject of the removal request was brought up in the meeting and would not have been discussed if Masters had not reintroduced the topic after the adjournment,

“The only reason the meeting was adjourned was because we forgot he was there. You guys literally forgot he was there, so you didn’t allow him to speak again,” Allentown resident Patrick Palmer said.

Additionally, Kari Holmes, an audience member who has served as a judge of elections, said the suggestion and decision to have another election worker watch over Bickford at the upcoming elections was “absolutely insulting.”

“It’s insulting to every one of us who has served as a judge of elections because we have continuously been asked to please give our time for those hours that the polls are open, and we are told they are looking for people that will be able to give a full day to do that,” she said.

“To take a capable person to babysit an incapable person is absolutely insulting to us and the work we’ve been doing.”

Speaking to members of the press outside the government center, Santiago condemned the meeting and said attendees were treated as “second-class citizens” by the election board.

“It’s sad to see the way that black and brown people are treated by those in position of power; it’s sad to continue seeing the denial of the fraud that happened on this election,” she said, highlighting that the fraud was credible since the case was referred to the district attorney and attorney general.

In closing, Santiago announced she would continue to pursue the election’s decertification in court and following all legal avenues. She would also transition her campaign to run as a write-in candidate for the 22nd District in the upcoming election.

“I refuse to fail the voters of the city of Allentown, I refuse to allow them to silence us,” she said of her decision to keep running. “I will not allow the powers in that room to silence every single one of you.

“That seat was spoken for by the 22nd District voters and we are taking it whether you like it or not. The powers are going to end. We are going to show up. We are going to show out.”