Apr 26, 2004 3 min read

While John F. Kerry and George W. Bush have already locked up the Democratic and Republican nominations for president of the United States, local voters can still cast their ballots for the top office in the land in Tuesday’s primary. Bush is the lone candidate on the GOP ballot while there are four candidates in addition to Kerry on the Democrat Party’s ticket. They are Howard Dean, Dennis J. Kucinich, John Edwards and Lyndon Larouche Jr.

The results, though, aren’t binding. The actual votes for president will be cast later by delegates to the Democrat and Republican national conventions. Voters will be picking those delegates Tuesday.

The delegates will actually choose the party’s nominees for president and vice president and also help in writing party platforms. Democratic candidates for delegates run as committed to a presidential candidate and that information is on the ballot. However, they are committed to a given candidate on the first ballot only and may be released by the candidate prior to that.

While Republican candidates for delegate may publicly express a preference for a presidential candidate, that information does not appear on the ballot and they are not committed to vote for a particular candidate.

The candidates run according to congressional candidates. Here’s the list of Democrats running.

In the 12th district, which includes mainly western Fayette County, there are four men running for three seats. Fayette County Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites, Greene County Commissioner Dave Coder and Ernie Esposito of Stonycreek Township are committed to Kerry while Frederick T. Berestecky of Donora is committed to Dean.

There are also three women running for two slots. Greene County Commissioner Pam Snyder and Rita J. Yantko of Menallen Township are committed to Kerry while Rose A. Skwara of Unity Township is committed to Larouche.

Running unopposed as an alternate delegate is Barbara Kline of Ebensburg.

In the 9th district, which includes mostly eastern Fayette County, there are two men running unopposed. Both Jeffrey Coy of Southampton Township and Dennis Walter of Kimmel Township are committed to Kerry. Beverly H. Fazio of White Township is also running unopposed. She’s committed to Kerry. There’s also one vacant spot for a female delegate. Guy E. Ferguson of Manns Choice Boro is running unopposed as an alternate delegate. He’s committed to Kerry.

Here’s the list of Republicans running for delegate.

In the 12th district, there are five candidates running for three spots including Fayette County Republican Party Chairman Chris Sepesky, Bill Choby of Westmont, Bill Harris of Richland Township, Kathy Lehman Holtzman of Richland Township and Stuart Z. Keckler of Washington.

There are three candidates running unopposed as alternate delegates. They are Sepesy, Keckler and Nicholas Sherman of Union.

In the 9th district, there are four candidates running unopposed. They are Mikeal A. Fix of Dublin, Bonnie Mellott Keefer of McConnellsburg, Dick Hess of Bedford and Richard Geist of Altoona.

Running unopposed as alternate delegates are Bruce Kelly of Altoona and Donna K. Cupp of White. There are two vacant spots for alternate delegates.