Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 19, 2026) is primary election day. Please see the following information courtesy of Stand Up 4 Lower Merion. (Subscribe to their informational emails by emailing  standuplowermerion@gmail.com).

  • Polls open at 7 am and close at 8 pm. You can still vote if you are in line at 8 pm. 

  • Check your polling location. 2 polling locations in Lower Merion have changed. (6-1 & 12-3) 

  • Dropboxes close promptly at 8 pm. Standing in line doesn’t count.  

  • Dropboxes are at the Ludington Library and behind the Magisterial District Office at 925 Montgomery Ave, Narberth

  • You can check the status of your mail-in or absentee ballot here. 

  • While most positions are uncontested in our area, there is a contested race to replace Rep. Mary Jo Daley in the State House, 148th district. You can find out more about the candidates at Vote411.org and watch the candidate forum hosted by the Narberth Civic Assoc. While the forum is 2 hours long, since it is on YouTube, you can watch it at a faster speed. 

  • PA is a closed primary state, which means only Democrats and Republicans can vote. 

  • Montco will start using electronic poll books this cycle. They are accurate and easy to use.  

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Septa routes 44 and 52 to Gladwyne and Penn Valley

Thanks to those of you who wrote to me with concerns about losing bus service in our area. Thanks also to Ward 2 Commissioner Daly for advocating on behalf of keeping services. I wrote to the Septa Planning Department (Planning@septa.org) myself and wanted to share their response with you:

Thank you for writing in regard to the discontinuation of service in Gladwyne. In 2021, SEPTA launched the Bus Revolution project with the goals of making the bus network more reliable and effective for more people. The Bus Revolution was the authority's first comprehensive redesign of its bus system, and from its inception, was intended to be budget neutral. This means that adding frequency, creating new routes and establishing new connections would require reallocating service hours from low-performing or duplicative bus routes or segments by either reducing them or eliminating them.

 On an average daily basis, there are 34 total boards on the Routes 44 and 52 for all stops beyond City Avenue to Gladwyne. This accounts for less than 1% of the overall ridership of the two routes, and costs over $200 per passenger to operate, making it amongst the most expensive and least productive services SEPTA currently operates. It contributes to reliability issues on both routes due to length of the patterns serving this area and traffic variability. Furthermore, because Routes 44 and 52 operate out of a City District, providing this service directly effects SEPTA's ability to provide equivalent service (in hours) in communities with higher need and demand, and where the authority can realize a greater ridership return.

SEPTA understands that eliminating this service will have an impact on a small number of existing riders. Montgomery County residents over the age of 65 or living with a disability has access to the county Senior Shared Ride Program. This service is funded through PennDOT and operated by TransNet. Residents have access to a door-to-door service within Montgomery County. They are required to schedule that trip 24 hours in advance through TransNet. For information on scheduling trips and pricing, visit: https://www.suburbantransit.org/senior-shared-ride.

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June 1 - Gas Powered Blower Ban

Thank you for respecting the first seasonal restriction of gas-powered leaf blowers in 2026 which begins on June 1st and runs through October 1st. The goal of the ordinance is a quieter, cleaner community.

See the full timeline of the phase out here.

This is a video with information on transitioning to electric blowers provided by Lower Merion Township.

These are presentation slides on transitioning to electric. Please share these with your landscaper if they are not aware of the June 1 restriction.

Ordinance violations can be reported via:

Ecological landscape tips: Make the transition to electric blowers easier by stopping blowing grass clippings and stray leaves in summer. Some homeowners have successfully asked their landscapers to stop blowing in general and simply to mulch mow both grass and leaves. This will help to retain organic matter which preserves top soil/prevents erosion, keeps the soil from drying out as quickly, and allows the soil to better sequester carbon and absorb stormwater. 

Whole leaves can be left almost anywhere (except pathways and hardscaping), but they are particularly easy to leave beneath trees and shrubs--making blowing unnecessary in these spaces. Leaving the leaves also protects insect populations which are foundational to the ecosystem. To further protect insects, avoid landscape mosquito spraying which is not specific to mosquitoes but rather kills all insects and which often drifts onto neighboring properties.

Thank you again for your help and cooperation.

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Recycling Day - Anything with a Plug

Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough are proud to offer residents the opportunity to responsibly recycle obsolete electronics on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Pre-registration required. Read more here.

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Past:

Lower Merion Township Home Sustainability Fair at the Ludington library tomorrow (Saturday, May 9) from 10 AM to 1 PM. 

It’s free and open to the public, and you can stop by anytime. All ages are welcomed.

Tables will be staffed with volunteers and information about sustainable landscapes/gardens, making your home ready for all electric, solar and buying green power, home energy audits, heat pumps for heating, cooling and hot water, electric vehicles, and sustainable kitchens! 

While you can stop by at any time, if you arrive at 11 AM, you can hear 10 minute lightning talks about the previous topics. There will also be a short award ceremony for Go for the Green Award recipients at 12:15pm. Meet them and learn about their great work in the Township.

At 1pm, there will be a live demonstration of EV chargers in Lot 7 in Bryn Mawr (across from the library).

Hope to see you there!