Apr 16, 2019 4 min read

The writer of a letter to six local recipients has questioned the residency of a Washington & Jefferson College student who is running for city council.

The Observer-Reporter was among those to whom a letter about council candidate Trent Somes, 20, a second-year student at the college, was sent.

The author of the letter wrote that Somes has a campus post office box in the city but gives an East Chestnut Street address in East Washington Borough where “he actually lives.”

The address identified in the letter is that of a sorority. According to Somes’ Facebook profile, he is a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which has an address at 325 E. Chestnut St., and like the sorority house, is also in East Washington.

Reached for comment Monday, Somes, a Democrat, said of the frat house, “That is my dorm, but that is not where I live. My dorm can switch from semester to semester.

“We have a campus address. I live at the college. My address is 50 S. Lincoln St., my legal address. This is something completely different than a post office box.”

Somes said he also uses South Lincoln Street on his driver’s license, and when he was elected a Democratic committeeman last year, he resided in a dormitory at East Beau and North Lincoln Street within the city limits.

Although the author of the letter wrote of Somes, “his name need(s) to be stricken from the ballot,” Pennsylvania election law provides a timeline during which objections can be formally raised. This year, March 19 was the deadline for filing with Common Pleas Court.

“In our records, he’s been a registered voter in Washington County since Sept. 5, 2017. To contest someone’s residency, the challenge period is over,” said Melanie Ostrander, Washington County elections director.

“We go by what we have registered, which is Washington Precinct 4. His name’s going to go on the ballot.”

Somes, whose given name is Theodore, filled out what is known as the “nickname form,” so that the name on the ballot will be “Trent.”

In the May 21 primary, each major party will nominate two candidates. Two council members will be elected in the fall.

The state has a residency requirement for those elected to office in third-class cities, which includes Washington.

Under “qualifications,” it states, “All elected officers must be at least 18 years old, (except for the treasurer and controller, both of whom must be 21 years old) and residents of the city for at least one year before their election.

“They must continue to reside in the city during their term of office and sign an affidavit that they will do so.”

Election Day is Nov. 5.

When announcing his candidacy for a four-year council term, Somes, who is majoring in political science and environmental studies, addressed the question of what he planned to do after graduation. He said there are two seminaries in the area to which he could commute.

The writer of what appears to be a computer-generated letter did not include Somes among those copied.

The author introduced himself or herself this way: “I live in the City of Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania. Recently I met a candidate that is running for Washington City Council …”

Neither the letter nor envelope in which it arrived has a return address, but the letter has an initial and a last name that corresponds to a single, active voter from the city. It is the name of a W&J student who also listed an address at the campus mail center.

The student, reached via email on Monday, responded that the use of his name was spurious.

“It was not me who sent that letter,” he replied. “I have never sent anything to the Observer-Reporter, never knew Trent was running and quite frankly do not even know what position he is running for.

“If you find out who the real person behind the letter is, please let me know as using my name like this could lead to action from me and my staff.”