Only 31 percent cast votes in primary
A large number of contested races throughout Fayette County and a beautiful day apparently weren’t enough to bring out voters, as less than 31 percent of the registered voters throughout the county cast ballots in Tuesday’s municipal primary. According to Laurie Lint, director of the Fayette County Election Bureau, there were 20,369 Democratic ballots cast, or 32.44 percent and 5,606 Republican ballots cast, or 25.53 percent, for an overall average turnout of 30.6 percent. The current number of registered voters in the county stands at 62,795 Democrats and 21,957 Republicans.
Lint said she has had about an average number of absentee ballot requests, between 900 and 1,000.
For the third election, voters had the choice of either using electronic voting machines or voting by paper ballot. Lint said all the election returns were in by 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and only minor problems were reported.
“It went pretty well,” Lint said.
Some races were decided by a few votes and could be changed by the official recount, which begins Friday. All results Tuesday are unofficial. Lint said the majority of the absentee ballots have been counted.
According to unofficial results, in Masontown Borough, incumbent Mayor Tom Loukota received 241 votes for the Democratic mayor nomination, just six more than Toni Petrus, who received 235 votes. Carole Daniels, who was also seeking the nomination, received 178 votes.
In the Albert Gallatin School District school director race, Ryan Geary Sr. received a Republican nomination by one vote. Geary received 249 votes and the last Republican nomination, while Kenneth J. Plisko received 248 votes.
Plisko will be on the ballot, though, as he received one of the Democratic nominations.
In the Vanderbilt Borough council race for the four Democratic nominations, only 18 votes separated the top vote getter and the fifth place finisher who did not get the nomination.
Duane Lee King received 58 votes; Thomas E. Sankovich received 46 votes; Sheila Kurtz receive 42 votes; Better J. Keffer received 41 votes and the final nomination and Dennis E. Lowe received five fewer votes with 36.
In the race for Fairchance Borough Council, only five votes separated the last candidate to receive the Democratic nomination and the next candidate. In that race, Vicki Tate received 123 votes and the final of four Democratic nominations, while Raymond C. Eicher received 118 votes and missed a nomination. Majority poll inspector Rita Nolan awaits voters in Connellsville?s 6th Ward, where fewer voters turned out than officials expected Tuesday. John F. Brothers/Herald-Standard