We hear a lot about voter fraud these days, but here’s a “better” one – let’s just stop an election from happening.

That was the goal of two members of the Mercer County Democratic Committee who went to court in an

unsuccessful attempt  to stop tonight’s party convention to elect a county chair. The plaintiffs – Charles Geter and Margaret Nicol – supported the chairmanship candidacy of David Schroth, who challenged incumbent Janice Mironov.

A state Superior Court judge threw out their challenge this afternoon.

And this evening – eventually – Mironov was declared the winner by a vote of 261 to 115.

The virtual convention began promptly at 6 p.m. as scheduled, but results were not announced until 10.40. Why it took hours and hours to tabulate a few hundred votes was a mystery. The committee used an election software system known as Electionbuddy.

In her speech to the virtual convention, Mironov said she was humbled by “deep and broad support” she said she enjoys throughout the county.

Mironov took credit for a number of successes, including increased fundraising, better events, electoral wins throughout the county and revitalizing the county’s young Democrats. She said her long-term goal is simple – help remove Donald Trump from the White House.

Schroth in his appeal to voters said Mercer Dems should give solace to the weak and voiceless

“It doesn’t matter if you’re from the suburbs or the city of Trenton, you’re all part of this group,” he said of party members.

The move to stop the election was pandemic related.

Conventions of this type normally are held the week after the primary, which traditionally occurs the first Tuesday in June. So the second Tuesday in June is county convention time.

But the pandemic delayed the primary to July 7. Some county committees held their convention a week later on the 14th. But Mercer Democrats chose tonight, the 28th.

Plaintiffs argued that the organization’s bylaws didn’t permit a change to the 28th. Talk about an uphill climb. The pandemic is changing things all over the country. And as the judge noted at a hearing today, in times like this, you adjust and do the best you can.

Even if it means waiting hours for results.