Democrats can vote in hotly contested contests
It’s a tale of two parties. Democrats going to the polls in today’s primary election will be casting ballots in a number of hotly contested elections.
Republicans, meanwhile, will have few choices as most of their candidates are running unopposed.
It’s been that way for some time, but for the first time in many years, GOP voters won’t have a choice for county commissioner as incumbents Joseph A. Hardy III and Angela M. Zimmerlink are running unopposed.
Vincent A. Vicites, the incumbent Democrat, had no such luck. He’s being opposed by a quartert of candidates, including Sean Cavanagh, Vincent Zapotosky, John “Sonny’ Mikita and John “Toots’ Croftcheck. The top two vote-getters will vye with Hardy and Zimmerlink in the November general election for three seats.
Democrats have three other countywide races with incumbents facing challengers. Controller Mark Roberts is being opposed by Sean P. Lally while clerk of courts Janice Snyder and sheriff Gary Brownfield are running against Gary Crozier and Robert “Ted” Pritchard Sr. respectively.
Republicans will some choices in local school board races as most of those candidates have cross-filed. There are races in Uniontown, Brownsville, Laurel Highlands, and Albert Gallatin school districts. Most of the spotlight has been on the Uniontown Area School, where a proposed $35 million high school renovation project has been the focus of much controversy. Eleven candidates, including three incumbents, are battling for five open seats.
There are a number of other local posts up for grabs, with elections for magisterial district judge, mayor, council, treasurer, auditor and township supervisor.
Uniontown has been a hotbed for local races with city residents facing four elections on the Democratic Party ballot.
Incumbent magisterial district judge Mark Blair is being opposed by five candidates, including Gary Altman, Dan Campbell, Ronald Machesky, Michael Metros and Brian Miller. Republicans will also get to weigh in on this election as all the candidates except Miller have cross-filed.
James R. Sileo is being challenged for the mayoral post by Ed Fike, while incumbent councilmen Bob Cerjanec and Blair R. Jones Sr. are being opposed by Marlin Sprouts Jr. Two seats are at stake. Rounding out the Uniontown races are two newcomers, Joseph N. Giachetti and Charlanne C. Makarun, dueling for the city treasurer’s office.
In Greene County, incumbents Democrats Dave Coder and Pam Snyder are being challenged by Mark Starostanko for county commissioner.
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.
There’s only one countywide race with Democratic incumbent District Attorney Marjorie Fox trying to turn back a bid from former District Attorney Dave Pollock.
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.
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 county and local races, there are contests for state Supreme and Superior courts. Voters will be electing two nominees from each party. The Democratic Party candidates for Supreme Court are Willis W. Berry Jr. and C. Darnell Jones II, both Philadelphia County judges; another Philadelphian, Seamus P. McCaffery, a Superior Court judge; and Debra M. Todd, an Allegheny Countian and Superior Court judge.
On the Republican ballot, Maureen Lally-Green, a Superior Court judge from Butler County, is in a three-way contest with Michael L. Krancer, chief judge of the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, and Paul P. Panepinto, a Philadelphia judge.
There are seven Democrats running for two Superior Court openings. The candidates are John Milton Younge, a Philadelphia judge; Christine L. Donohue, an attorney from Allegheny County; Ronald W. Folino, an Allegheny County judge; Anne E. Lazarus, a Philadelphia judge; Timothy J. McCormick, a lawyer from Westmoreland County; James Murray Lynn, a Philadelphia judge; and James M. DeLeon, a municipal judge in Philadelphia.
The Republican candidates are Cheryl L. Allen, an Allegheny County judge; Bruce E. Bratton, a Dauphin County judge; and Jacqueline O. Shogan, a Westmoreland County attorney.
There’s also a referendum on the ballot, asking voters if they want to impose an additional earned income tax to reduce school district taxes.
The polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.