Donegal Twp. man announces run for commissioner
Zach Scherer, of Donegal Township, has announced his candidacy for county commissioner on the Republican ticket in the May primary.
Scherer, a 2021 Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School graduate and student at an online university, said he believes individuals, families and communities who have “long been devastated and ignored by public officials” can begin healing if he is elected.
In his announcement late Thursday, Jan. 26, Scherer said his plan is “focused on restoring transparency to Butler County residents by varying public commissioner meeting times ... so that all Butler County residents have an opportunity to attend and have a voice in their community.”
He also wants to livestream all public commissioners meetings and add 30-minute sessions at the end of the meetings for the public to ask questions directly to the county commissioners.
Scherer said he plans to introduce an approach to addiction recovery that is different from incarcerating drug offenders. That plan would involve education, increased awareness of how substance abuse works, and improved opportunities for safe housing and holistic healing.
He pledges to bring election integrity to the county through annual reviews of election voter rolls to ensure accuracy, and support Election Day in-person voting only, a movement to traditional paper ballots, and the removal of electronic voting machines and scanners.
Scherer said he will focus on small businesses on Main Street by prioritizing the availability of small-business loans and grants to those who need them.
Scherer’s website, scherer4butlerpa.com, details his avid support for former President Donald Trump and his belief that Trump was the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election.
Scherer said because he believes Trump won the election, based on his lead late at night and the difference in the county votes for Trump in 2020 compared to 2016, he started a grassroots group called Butler PA Patriots.
About 10 to 15 group members began regularly attending county commissioners meetings to dispute the reliability of the 2020 election results in the county, he said.
“Our group continues to grow with over 1,000 people on our mailing list and over 50 active members fighting for transparency, election integrity, and more responsible spending,” Scherer said on his website.
Scherer said that last year he was escorted from the property of his employer, the U.S. Post Office mail processing facility in Marshall Township, Allegheny County, and terminated without explanation.
“I firmly believe it was due to my conservative beliefs and political involvement in Butler County,” Scherer said on his website.
Scherer is employed by a local car dealership in sales and continues to serve as a volunteer firefighter with Chicora Volunteer Fire Department.
He also is a disaster response agent with the American Red Cross.
He studies criminal justice at the Southern New Hampshire University.
The terms of all three Butler County commissioners expire at the end of the year. Earlier this month, all three of the current county commissioners announced their candidacy. Republicans Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer and Democrat Kevin Boozel are seeking third terms.
The primary election will be held May 16, and the general election will be Nov. 7. In Butler County, a maximum of two candidates each from the Republican and Democratic parties can advance from the primary election to the general election. Third-party candidates also will be eligible to appear on the ballot.
