Low voter turnout predicted for primary
Regional election bureau directors said the judicial races in both Fayette and Washington counties and a sheriff’s race in Greene County, will unlikely spark voter interest in the May 21 primary election.
Larry Blosser, Fayette County election bureau director, said that despite the lengthy challenge of petitions in the county prothonotary race and a late ruling to consolidate a magisterial district, all will be in place for voters to cast their ballots beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
“We will be ready,” he said. “I have to commend the office staff as they have done a great job.”
Candidates are seeking either the Democratic or Republican nomination in order to appear on the November election ballot.
Blosser said the magisterial district judge race and the county Court of Common Pleas judicial race will likely draw some to the polling booth.
“The judicial race is of interest because this is first time in my memory that we have two open positions on the bench at the same time,” he said.
Five candidates will appear on the ballot, including Linda Cordaro, Joseph M. George Jr., Jack M. Purcell, Douglas S. Sepic and Steven Walton.
The two vacancies occurred with the earlier retirement of Judge Ralph C. Warman and Judge Gerald R. Solomon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 at the end of 2012.
The judicial candidates will appear on both the Democratic and Republican ballots.
In the magisterial district race, one incumbent and four political newcomers are seeking the position with the top vote-getter to appear on the Democratic and GOP ballot to face off in the fall.
In early March, the state Supreme Court ruled that the magisterial districts served by Magisterial District Judges Jesse J. Cramer and Dwight Shaner would be consolidated.
Shaner is set to retire at the end of the year, and Cramer is at the end of his six-year term.
Cramer will face Soni Shaner Mancuso, Richard A. Kasunic II, Kenneth Jaynes and George Stash II for the party nomination.
Voters will also cast ballots in numerous municipal races, including mayor, borough council, township supervisor, tax collector, and auditor. Blosser said that 714 candidates in about 250 races will appear on the ballot.
School districts, including Albert Gallatin, Brownsville Area, Connellsville Area, Frazier, Laurel Highlands and Uniontown Area, along with Belle Vernon and Southmoreland school districts, have four board positions open, with many candidates vying for the party nomination in nearly all races.
Voters will also be asked to nominate judge of elections and inspector of elections at the local levels.
Russ Rhodes, Fayette County Republican Party Committee chairman, said the judicial race has drawn the most curiosity because of the number of people in the race and that two candidates will be chosen. However, it is unlikely the race or the primary election overall will bring out the voters – Republican or Democrat.
“People just don’t care anymore,” he said. “They have lost faith and the belief that their vote makes a difference. I would like to be proven wrong.”
Longtime county Democratic Committee Chairman Fred Lebder said that a low turnout will make the nomination battle more fierce where there are no Republican challengers, but multiple Democratic candidates.
Pointing to the county treasurer’s race where eight Democratic candidates are seeking the party nomination, the winner will likely garner only 16 percent of the vote, with the others coming in with much lesser tallies, said Lebder.
The veteran party leader said that name recognition will play a key role for those personally unfamiliar with the candidates, rather than where they reside.
“You can’t discount where they are from, but name recognition is very important as they are going through the list of names,” said Lebder, noting the large expenditures by candidates for newspaper, radio and television advertisement and outdoor signage. “There has been a lot of money spent, but it will make a difference.”
Blosser, Rhodes and Lebder predicted that turnout will not be greater than 30 percent and more likely in the mid-20 percent range.
In Fayette County there are 52,551 registered Democrats and 21,960 registered Republicans, according to election bureau figures. Another 6,229 residents are registered with other parties.
In Greene County, election bureau director Tina Kiger said that her office staff, too, have dealt with a petition challenge, but anticipate an unimpeded path leading up to May 21.
With incumbent county Sheriff Richard Ketchem stepping down after 24 years, the race for his replacement may draw some voter interest, said Kiger.
“Election turnout depends on so many factors, especially the weather,” she said.
The sheriff race has drawn three Democratic candidates, including Brian Tennant, Erik Ketchem and William Lewis. No Republican candidates will appear on the ballot.
In addition to the municipal races, the county coroner, Greg Rohanna, and one magisterial district judge, Lee Watson, will run unopposed in the primary.
Democrats outnumber Republicans in Greene County by 2-to-1, with 13,845 Democrats and 6,442 Republicans eligible to vote in the primary Tuesday.
Washington County Election Bureau Director Larry Spahr said that a decrease in the number of absentee ballots indicates to him that despite a judicial race and the likelihood of a write-in campaign for a council candidate that lost his opportunity to appear on the ballot, turnout will be minimal.
“We’ve received only one-third the absentee ballots we would typically get in a municipal election,” he said, speculating that less than a quarter of the eligible voters will go to the polls. “There doesn’t appear to be much interest.”
Like Fayette County, there are two available seats on the Washington Court of Common Pleas bench.
The vacancies are tied to the early retirements of judges Paul Pozonsky and Janet Moschetta Bell.
Eight candidates are vying for the Democratic and Republican nomination, including Alan Benyak, Blane Black, Valarie Costanzo, Thomas M. Fallert, Charles Kurowski, Mike Lucas, Peter V. Marcoline III and Lane Turturice.
In Washington County, 75,841 Democrats are eligible to vote in the primary and 48,570 Republicans are registered to cast ballots, said Spahr.