Nov 4, 2003 By Mark O'Keefe 4 min read

While the county commissioner races have dominated most of the interest in today’s general election, voters will also be deciding a number of other county, local and state contests. In fact, voters will face one of the most crowded general election ballots in recent years with a rather high number of contested races.

The race attracting the most attention has been the election for county commissioner in Fayette County, where as in Greene and Washington counties, four candidates are running for three seats.

Millionaire 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy, 80, of Wharton Township has stirred interest in the Fayette County race for county commissioner both with his colorful personality and his checkbook. Hardy, the owner of the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, has spent $566,978 during the campaign, by far the most of any candidate in this race.

Also running on the Republican ticket is Angela M. Zimmerlink, 42, of Redstone Township. She’s best known for role her as an outspoken member of the Fayette County Housing Authority.

Running on the Democratic side are two more traditional politicians. Vincent A. Vicites, 43, of South Union Township is seeking his third term as a county commissioner while J. William Lincoln, 63, of Connellsville is returning to politics after serving in the state legislature from 1977 to 1993.

Two other candidates are on the ballot but Michael J. Cavanagh has already bowed out of the race while Brian K. Lutes has campaigned very little.

In Greene County, voters will be electing at least one newcomer as Farley Toothman declined to seek re-election. Two incumbents, Democrat Dave Coder, 46, of Waynesburg and Republican Scott Blair, 58 of Waynesburg are seeking re-election to third and second terms respectively. The other two candidates in the race are Democrat Pam Snyder, 47, of Jefferson and Republican John Gardner, 64, of Waynesburg.

At least one new face is also guaranteed in Washington County where the incumbents are Democrat Bracken Burns Sr., 58, of Washington and Republican Diane Irey, 41, of Monongahela. Also running are Democrat Larry Maggi, 53 of Washington and Republican Louis Waller, 75, of Washington.

In addition to the commissioner races, there are several other countywide races. In Fayette County, Controller Mark Roberts, 35, of Uniontown is hoping to fend off a challenge from Republican John “Sonny’ Mikita, 33, of Brownsville.

Two races are up for grabs in Greene County. District Attorney Marjorie Fox, 47, of Wayneburg is being opposed by Republican Tim Logan, 42, of Washington Township while Controller John Stets, 53, of Waynesburg is being challenged by Connie Cramer, 48, of Waynesburg. A Democrat, she won the GOP nomination with write-in votes last spring.

Washington County also has a pair of countywide contests. Democrat Mark Mascara, 47, of Washington is running against Republican Colin Fitch, 42, of South Strabane Township for an open seat on the Washington County Court and incumbent Prothonotary Phyllis Ranko Metheny, 63, of North Strabane, a Republican, is battling Democrat Judith Fisher, 64, of Washington.

Locally, there are numerous contested races across the board. For school board, there are races up for grabs in the Brownsville Area, Beth-Center, Connellsville Area, Frazier, Southeastern Greene and Region II of the Laurel Highlands school districts.

On the township level, there are contested races for supervisor in Connellsville, Dunbar, Franklin, Lower Tyrone, North Union, Saltlick, Upper Tyrone and Wharton. There’s also an interesting race for tax collector in South Union Township, the highest-paid elective office in Fayette County.

There are also contested council races in Brownsville, California, Centerville, Dunbar, South Connellsville boroughs and Connellsville City.

In statewide races, one Supreme Court judge is being elected and six Superior Court Judges are seeking three seats.

For the Supreme Court position, Democrat Max Baer, 55, is running against Republican Joan Orie Melvin, 47. Both are from Allegheny County.

For Superior Court, Democratic candidates include Jack Panella, 48, of Northampton County, John J. Driscoll, 61, of Westmoreland County and Seamus McCaffery, 53, of Philadelphia County. Republican candidates are Grainger Bowman, 55, of Cumberland County, Susan Gantman, 51, of Montgomery County and Palmer Dolbin, 56, of Schuylkill County.

Voters will be asked to yes or no on retaining Ronald D. Castille, 59, of Philadelphia on the state Supreme Court, Joseph A. Del Sole, 62, of Pittsburgh on the state Superior Court and James Gardner Collins, 57, of Philadelphia on the state’s Commonwealth Court.

Two constitutional amendments will also be included on the ballot that deal with letting children testify outside a courtroom by videotape or closed circuit television. One question will ask whether the right of defendants in the state constitution to confront witnesses “face to face” should be changed to a right to “be confronted” with witnesses against them. The other issue is whether the General Assembly should be granted the authority to draw up rules for children to testify outside a courtroom.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.