Local Democratic candidates and volunteers gathered under the large pavilion in Perkasie’s Lenape Park Saturday morning to kick off Pennridge Democrats’ Day of Action. Many who turned out are running for school board director or borough council seats, though other Democratic candidates such as Danny Ceisler, Donna Petrecco, and Dawn DiDonato Burke joined in to canvass local neighborhoods. Burke is seeking office for Judge of The Court of Common Pleas while Petrecco is running for Prothonotary. Ceisler is looking to unseat Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran, who has come under fire for his recent partnership with ICE.
Last month the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Harran arguing that he had illegally entered into a contract with ICE due to the lack of approval from Bucks County Commissioners, who back in May declared Harran’s 287(g) agreement invalid. Democratic commissioner Bob Harvie, also door knocking during Saturday’s event, does not support Harran’s agreement to deputize local law enforcement in order to help ICE officials detain and arrest immigrants in Bucks County.
During introductions, Danny Ceisler brought attention to the disturbing policies coming out of Washington while encouraging candidates and volunteers to focus on more local efforts.
“It’s not going to be your senator or the president,” said Ciesler, referring to who on a daily basis affects their lives more, “it’s going to be your borough council member, or your school board member.” Ceisler also stressed the importance of face-to-face interactions when encouraging voter turnout.
His own interactions on Saturday led to the meeting of long-time Perkasie resident Doris J. Zimmerman, who took the time to discuss what mattered most to her, not the least including Trump’s recent cuts to healthcare and the overall degradation of the executive branch. She also made sure to talk about the little things like her garden, proudly pointing out colorful daisies and hydrangeas that lined her neatly kept beds.
When asked what exactly the role of Sheriff included, Ceisler leaned in on the matter of domestic violence. He clarified his position by stating he would make it a top priority to protect survivors of domestic violence by ensuring that law enforcement responses would be coordinated, court orders would be “served swiftly” and that victims would have a “clear path to safety.” According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV), 1 in 3 women and nearly half of LGBTQ+ individuals will experience some sort of domestic violence in their lifetime. They also reported that in 2023, 119 people, mainly women, lost their lives to domestic abuse. Ceisler commented on the necessity and urgency of how the Sheriff’s office under him would handle those statistics.
“Domestic violence is not just a private matter – it’s a public safety crisis that demands urgent, sustained attention. My office will work closely with advocates, police departments, and the courts to enforce protection-from-abuse orders, prioritize high-risk cases, and hold abusers accountable. No one in Bucks County should feel unsafe in their own home, and as Sheriff, I’ll make sure they don’t have to.”
Canvassing up and down 7th street with Ceisler was Donna Petrecco, a Democrat from Falls Township, who spoke about her desire to make the office of the Prothonotary a more welcoming place for residents. A prothonotary maintains civil court documents including divorce filings, protection from abuse orders, and custody orders. Petrecco highlighted the vulnerability of the people that utilize the office, stating how she wants to make it a “safe harbor”. Petrecco also holds a seat on the Pennsbury School District Board of Directors and is a board member of the Bucks County Housing Authority.
Maintaining a safe community was also on the mind of Perkasie Borough Council candidate, Jaclyn S. Cornelius, who talked about community building and her reasons for running, much of which has to do with her being a mother to two young children and wife to an immigrant husband. “I do this for them,” she stated. “This is to ensure that they have a community that they can continue to grow up in as they get older.”
Feeling energized after speaking with constituents, Cornelius expressed how deeply meaningful those conversations were. “I had the chance to hear directly from neighbors about what matters most to them. These conversations reaffirm why I’m running for borough council; I want to bring fresh ideas, honest leadership, and a commitment to putting our community first.”
Other Perkasie Borough Council candidates who joined in for Saturday’s Day Of Action included Emma Hawkins, running for Ward 3, Lilli Benner, Ward 1, and Steve Nathan, also for Ward 1.
Hawkins and Democratic organizer Kyle Esposito paired up for door knocking and to stifle the notion that younger people aren’t interested in politics. Hawkins, who is the youngest borough council candidate running, is a Pennridge High School graduate who grew up in the community. She maintains running a platform on visibility and transparency while also believing that “small town values can exist in tandem with progressive ideals.”
Also canvassing Saturday was Pennridge School Board candidates Nathaniel Leffever and Dan Bebernitz.
Leffever and Bebernitz are both part of the Pennridge Community Alliance and expressed concerns over education and safety in Pennridge schools.
“We are here to make sure that our schools are a safe place”, said Bebernitz, “We are here to make sure our schools are run by people who believe in public education, who believe in each student, and who believe in keeping a safe space for all.”
