GOP Incumbents Hold Bensalem Council Seats: Unofficial Results

BENSALEM, PA — A pair of incumbent Republicans on the Bensalem Township Council fended off a challenge from two Democrats and held onto their seats, according to unofficial election results.

Assuming the results stand, Bensalem's council will remain under Republican control.

Bensalem's council currently is made up of 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats, with Mayor Joe DiGirolamo also a member of the GOP.

Democratic candidates Bryan Allen and Angela Cacchio were pitching a message of generational change in their bid against current council members Ed Kisselback, Jr. and Joseph Knowles, both Republicans.

With all 27 Bensalem districts reporting in unofficial returns at about 12:25 a.m., the vote total was as follows:

• Allen (D): 6,385
• Cacchio (D): 6,505
• Kisselback (R): 6,818
• Knowles (R): 6,978

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Allen, chief of staff for state Rep. Tina Davis and a former two-time council member, is 41 and Cacchio, a middle school English teacher, is 43. Meanwhile, Kisselback, a professional photographer, is 71 and Knowles, a Realtor, is 59.

The incumbents ran on what they called a proven track record. They both cited attracting new businesses to Bensalem and holding the line on taxes as main priorities. Currently, Knowles is the council president and Kisselback is vice-president.

In their campaign material, Allen and Cacchio cited over-development and traffic congestion as key issues for Bensalem that they'd address if elected.

The race to populate Bensalem's next council raised tensions on its current one.

In early October, the council's two Democrats filed a lawsuit against DiGirolamo and its Republican members, claiming a taxpayer-funded letter to residents intentionally left them out to, at least in part, help Kisselback and Knowles in the upcoming election.

The letter from DiGirolamo, announcing the township's popular Homeowner Assistance Grant Program, listed Kisselback, Knowles and fellow Republican Joseph Pilieri as supporting the grant. But it left out the names of Democrats Jesse Sloane and Ed Tokmajian, who voted against DiGirolamo's overall budget but say they support the grant program.

By contrast, a similar letter from 2018 included the names of all council members.

The lawsuit calls for the Republicans to repay the township for the cost of sending out the letter.