Officials ready for primary election
WAYNESBURG – On Tuesday, Greene County voters will join voters from across the state in going to the polls for the spring primary.
Tina Kiger, director of elections and voter registration for Greene County said the pre-election testing has been done on the electronic voting machines and they are ready for the primary election on May 21.
“The logic and accuracy tests were conducted on the electronic voting machines by Scott Kelley, director of information technology and custodian of elections for the county, and Doug Murray, deputy custodian of elections, and myself,” Kiger said.
Supplies are being organized to be picked up on Monday by election judges and Kiger said if anyone is interested in working on one of the election boards to contact the election office at 724-852-5230.
“We are always looking for workers,” she said.
Kiger said there have been two changes since the deadline for filing nomination petitions on March 12.
Incumbent Monongahela Township supervisor James Rumble’s name was removed from the ballot for the Democratic nomination for supervisor in the spring primary by Greene County President Judge William Nalitz.
In March, Nalitz sustained objections filed by several township residents who claimed five of the signatures on Rumble’s nomination petitions were not qualified under the election code, leaving Rumble one signature short of the required ten signatures.
In Richhill Township, although Deborah Penska’s name will appear on the Republican ballot, she has officially withdrawn as a candidate for tax collector.
Three candidates filed for the spring primary when Greene County sheriff Richard Ketchem announced he was retiring after 24 years of service. Brian Tennant, Erik Ketchem and William Lewis filed Democratic nomination petitions for the position. No Republicans filed for the position of county sheriff.
Tennant is on a leave of absence from his job as the K9 officer with the Waynesburg Borough Police Department. Ketchem is a 17-year veteran with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Lewis serves as a .Greene County deputy coroner and a state constable.
Also on the ballot for the spring primary will be the offices of Greene County coroner and magisterial district judge for District 13-3-03.
Only the incumbents have filed nomination petitions for both of these offices.
Greg Rohanna has filed to seek reelection as a Greene County coroner, having served as deputy and chief deputy of the coroner’s office beginning in 1983 and as coroner since 1996.
Lee Watson is seeking reelection to his fourth term as magisterial district judge, a position he has held since 1996. The magisterial district judge in District 13-3-03 handles civil and criminal matters arising in Carmichaels Borough, Cumberland Township, Dunkard Township, Greene Township, Greensboro Borough, Monongahela Township and Rices Landing Borough.
A number of nomination petitions have been filed for school directors in all five school districts in Greene County, as well as a number of incumbents and challengers for positions of tax collector, auditors, township supervisors, mayors, and council members for the upcoming May 21 primary.
Candidates can seek Democratic or Republican party nominations or can cross-file, seeking nominations on both the Democratic and Republican ballots.