Lebder sizes up primary ballot
The Fayette County commissioner race will draw the majority of interest from Democratic voters in Tuesday’s municipal primary, according to the county’s party chairman. Longtime Fayette County Democratic Party Chairman Fred Lebder said there is interest in the county commissioners race because of the personalities involved and a lack of opposition for other incumbent row offices, with the exception of controller, clerk of courts and sheriff.
“It’s an interesting primary,” Lebder said. He said although there are five candidates seeking the two Democratic county commissioner nominations, the contest is between three candidates, namely incumbent Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites, former Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh and Vincent Zapotosky, a former coordinator of constituent services for two congressmen. Cavanagh and Zapotosky have formed a team, while Vicites is running on his record of the last 12 years.
Lebder said the other two candidates, John “Sonny” Mikita and John “Toots” Croftcheck, would not factor much into the race.
The Democratic race will feature three of the same individuals as 2003. Lebder said an “amazing” statistic of four years ago is the fact that 9,149 Democratic voters, or 17.02 percent of those who took to the polls, did not cast a ballot for any county commissioner candidate. Lebder surmised that voters were “turned off” with the commissioner’s race four year ago, and some may have just voted for school director, road supervisor or auditor candidates and not county commissioner.
Lebder said in the 2003 primary, Vicites was the top vote getter with 13,847 votes; Bill Lincoln got 9,406 votes; Cavanagh got 8,452 votes, Zapotosky got 7,961 tallies and then-Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls received 4,949 votes.
Lebder said while it is not unusual for voters to not cast votes for any commissioner candidate, it happened at a greater number four years ago. He said if Cavanagh, Lincoln or Zapotosky had gotten the 9,000 votes, they would have led the ticket, and if Nehls had gotten the votes, he would have secured a position on the fall ballot.
Lebder, a 33-year head of the Democratic Party and 28-year county commissioner, ran advertisements in favor of Lincoln four years ago, and this year has only run an ad supporting Zapotosky.
In other contested races, incumbent Controller Mark Roberts is facing a challenge from Sean P. Lally, clerk of courts incumbent Janice Snyder is challenged by Gary Crozier, and Sheriff Gary Brownfield is facing opposition from Robert “Ted” Pritchard Sr.
“Others are running with no opposition,” Lebder said. Those running unopposed include District Attorney Nancy Vernon, Prothonotary Lance Winterhalter, Coroner Dr. Philip Reilly and Register of Wills Donald Redman.
In one of the more hotly contested primary races, six area men are vying for magisterial district judge in Uniontown. Incumbent Mark L. Blair will square off against Gary N. Altman, Dan Campbell, Ronald K. Machesky, Michael M. Metros and Brian Miller for the four-year post on the Democratic ticket. All the candidates, with the exception of Miller, cross-filled as Republicans as well.
Lebder said four years ago the voter turnout was 44 percent, and this year it will “run about the same,” predicting the turnout could go as high as 46 percent. Lebder said although there have been two elections with the new electronic voting machines, some people are still apprehensive about using the machines. “Once you do it they are simple,” Lebder said. He urged anyone hesitant to use the machines to go ahead and vote, and ask the judge of election for help.
On the Republican ballot in Fayette County, the only individuals seeking countywide positions are incumbent Commissioners Joseph A. Hardy III and Angela M. Zimmerlink, who are seeking their party’s two nominations.
In Greene County, the “Greene Team” of incumbent Democratic county Commissioners Dave Coder and Pam Snyder will be on the ballot along with challenger Mark Starostanko. Although there will be three names on the Republican ballot, only two candidates are seeking the two nominations. Archie Trader and Mark E. Snyder are seeking the two Republican nominations, but the name of John R. Gardner will be on the ballot as well. Gardner, the Republican commissioner who died in office earlier this year, will still appear on the ballot.
Democratic Incumbent District Attorney Marjorie Fox will face off against former District Attorney Dave Pollock. No Republican candidate filed for the office. Democratic incumbents Shirley Stockdale, clerk of courts, and Thomas Headlee, register and recorder, will have races in the fall, as Republican Tom Boyd is running for clerk of courts and Republican Joseph Yokiel will be on the ballot for register and recorder.
A race also will be on the ballot for district judge in magisterial district 13-3-03, which covers Carmichaels, Greensboro and Rices Landing boroughs, and the townships of Cumberland, Dunkard, Greene and Monongahela. Incumbent Lee Watson and challenger David Reid cross-filed as Democrats and Republicans.
Those who will be running unopposed for Greene County row offices this year include Democrats Dave Balint, running for controller; incumbent Democratic treasurer Cory Grandel; and incumbent Democratic prothonotary Susan Kartley White.
Frances Pratt, director of the Greene County Election Bureau, said four years ago, the turnout was 41 percent, with 9,473 ballots cast in the county. She said the 235 absentee ballots are about average “for this type of election.”
In Washington County, six Democrats and three Republicans are seeking their respective party’s two nominations. The candidates, in ballot order, are: Democrats Harlan Shober, J. Bracken Burns, Joseph Manning, Randy Barli, Harry Sabatasse and Larry Maggi; and Republicans Diana Irey, Steven Fischer and Michael Neville.
Another hotly contested race is for Washington County register of wills, a position being vacated by retiring incumbent Kathleen Flynn Reda.
Four Democrats are seeking the seat. They include Mary Jo Poknis of Fallowfield Township, Diane Tatano of Houston, John Rotheram of Fallowfield Township and Charles Kurowski of Canton Township.
In addition to countywide races, voters in the tri-county area will also make choices for school director, township supervisor, borough and city councils, magisterial district judge and state judge positions.
In the tri-county area, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a significant margin, especially in Fayette and Greene counties, where the 78,462 registered Democrats are about 2.75 the number of registered Republicans, which stands at 28,201.
In Fayette County, there are 89,377 registered voters, including 61,580 Democrats and 21,568 Republicans, despite a Republican majority of county commissioners.
In Greene County, there are 25,167 registered voters, including 16,882 Democrats and 6,633 Republicans. In Washington County, there are 145,398 registered voters, including 84,936 Democrats and 47,309 Republicans.