Washington County row office, municipal candidates set for May 20 primary election

Only those registered as Democrats or Republicans by May 5 will be permitted to cast a vote.

By STACY WOLFORD
swolford@yourmvi.com

Mon Valley voters will see primary election battles on May 20 in multiple offices — from judicial and county executive posts to mayoral and school board seats.

Close of business March 12 was the deadline for prospective candidates to file their nominating petitions with the required number of valid signatures. Interested parties had until Tuesday to lodge objections to any petitions.

Only those registered as Democrats or Republicans by May 5 will be able to vote for their slate of candidates.

Pennsylvania allows candidates for school boards and magisterial district judges to crossfile so their names appear on both parties’ ballots.

This municipal year election could have larger than usual implications for voters. Local elected officials make decisions on everything from garbage collection and street repairs to building new parks, operating the judicial system and providing services to citizens.

Here are the Mon Valley candidates who have filed their petitions in Washington County by the deadline for row offices and municipal government seats.

Washington County row offices

Four Republicans filed nominating papers to run for Washington County controller in the primary.

Republicans Brenda Davis, Tony Jacob DeLost, Pat Phillips and Heather Sheatler are seeking their party’s nomination.

Since there are no Democrats on the ballot, the winner will likely claim victory in the November election. The controller seat was vacated by former controller April Sloane in September after she pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty and agreed to resign from the position.

Davis previously served one term as clerk of courts before losing reelection in 2023. DeLost, Phillips and Sheatler, who is the acting controller after taking over Sloane’s duties in October, are running for the county seat for the first time.

Republicans Sheriff Tony Andronas and Recorder of Deeds Carrie Perrell are running for reelection unopposed. There are no Democrats on the ballot.

Magistrate district offices for nomination

Magisterial District Judge Eric Porter is uncontested for his second, six-year term for District 27-1-03, which encompasses Allenport, Bentleyville, Charleroi, Dunlevy, Elco, Fallowfield, Long Branch, North Charleroi, Roscoe, Speers, Stockdale and Twilight. Porter crossfiled to retain his seat for the Charleroi-based position.

27-3-03 District Judge

Magisterial District Judge Joshua Kanalis is uncontested for his third term for District 27-3-03, which comprises Beallsville, California, Centerville, Coal Center, Cokeburg, Deemston, East Bethlehem, Ellsworth, Marianna, North Bethlehem, Somerset, West Brownsville and West Pike Run. Kanalis was first elected in 2007.

MUNICIPALITIES Allenport

Allenport has four, four year seats open, with only Democrat Rondell Mickey and Republican Nancy Kennedy Williamson filing to run.

Republican William J. Williamson is seeking the lone two-year seat.

Democratic tax collector Linda L. Schaum is also seeking reelection.

Bentleyville

Bentleyville has four, fouryear seats up for grabs and there are plenty of candidates.

Vying for the Democratic nominations are Joshua Gordon, Lance Kavakich, incumbent Timothy Miller, Kathy Rakosky and Lee Wytovich.

Republicans running are Jason Cole, Rob Hess, Coy A. Malys Sr., Jonathan L. Patress, Joseph Pigeon III, Kimberly Greenfield Sacco and Marina Sapp.

Mayor Timothy Jansante appears not to be seeking reelection.

Republican Jason Cole is the lone candidate seeking the mayor’s seat.

Democrat Jillian Pernell is also running for tax collector.

California

California Borough Council has four, four-year seats open.

Democratic incumbents Edwin “Chip” Glab, Patsy J. Alfano and Jon Bittner and Republican John Frank are seeking reelection.

They have opposition by Republicans Mike Watson, Franklin D. Turosik and Benjamin Michael Filek, There will be a race for mayor, as Republican Mayor Frank D. Stetar has opposition by fellow GOP candidate Benjamin Michael Filek. No Democrats are on the ballot for mayor.

Democrat Diane Pagac is running for tax collector.

Carroll Township

Republican incumbent John McKeever is seeking reelection to one, six-year seat on the board of supervisors. He has no Democratic opposition.

Republican Ryan D. Bowker is running for auditor.

Charleroi

In Charleroi, four councilmen, as well as the mayor, are not seeking reelection. That leaves the seats occupied by councilmen Larry Celaschi, Joe Smith, Robert Whiten and Paul Pivovarnik up for grabs. One-term Mayor Gregg Doerfler is also not seeking reelection.

Former mayor and council member, Democrat Nancy J. Ellis, is a candidate again for both seats. Republican Ernest Merritt is also on the ballot for mayor.

Ellis is the lone Democrat on the ballot for mayor and council.

Republicans Jeannine Lofink Motycki (a former council member), Lorraine Smith and Deborah M. Devigne are seeking seats on council.

Tax collector Meg Byron Malady is unopposed seeking reelection.

Donora

Donora has four, four-year seats open on council.

Democrats Neal Rands, Mark Bizzell Boyer, Michelle Kitchens and Roderick Wilson Sr. are all on the ballot.

Joshua Lamb is the lone Republican seeking a council seat.

Mayor Don Pavelko, a Democrat, is unopposed for reelection.

Tax collector Susan J. Vitalbo is also seeking reelection.

Dunlevy

Like many Mid-Mon Valley communities, there are more seats open in Dunlevy than candidates running.

With three, four-year seats open, only Republican Randall J. Aul is on the ballot.

Democratic Mayor J. Ross Landman is seeking reelection.

Elco

Elco has three, four-year seats open. Incumbents, Democrat Larry J. Pollock Sr., and Republican Susan Cullen are seeking reelection.

Democratic Mayor Frank J. Kennedy is running for reelection unopposed on the ballot.

Fallowfield Township

Republican incumbent Supervisor Joseph Sopcak will have a challenger, Michael Fisher, in the primary for the GOP nomination for the lone seat up for grabs on May 20.

The winner will likely square off against David M. Diess, the only Democrat on the ballot.

Longtime Tax Collector Wayne E. Ray is also seeking reelection.

Finleyville

Finleyville council has two, four year-seats open. Republicans John N. Crayton and Elizabeth Peters are the only candidates on the ballot.

Democratic Michael M. Kutsek has no opposition on the ballot for reelection.

Running for tax collector is Kristen Flaherty.

Long Branch

Democrats Frank Nichols, Joseph DeBlassio III, Walter Philipkosky are seeking one of three, four-year seats on Long Branch council.

Running for mayor are Republican Joseph DeBlassio Jr. and Democrat Michael R. Natale.

Ann M. Trunzo is running for tax collector.

Monongahela

Incumbents council members Mark W. Gadd, a Democrat, and Sarah J. O’Brien, a Republican, are the lone candidates seeking two, fouryear seats.

New Eagle

New Eagle Borough will have a race this primary election for three, four-year council seats.

Republicans on the ballot are incumbents William Sherry, Charles N. Fine and Dennis E. Walters, and Paul Pro, Drew Guarino and Bob Koziel. There are no Democrats on the ballot.

Cathy Pro is running for reelection as tax collector.

North Charleroi

There are two, four yearseats on the ballot for North Charleroi council.

Edwin J. Uhutch and Joseph E. Duche are seeking the Democratic nominations. Incumbent Fred Schwalb and Amanda Santoro are seeking the Republican nominations.

Democratic Mayor Stephen M. Sergi is seeking reelection, with no opposition on either ballot.

Tax collector Danielle Spano, who was recently appointed, is seeking the seat.

Roscoe

Roscoe Borough has four, four-year seats on the ballot for council.

Democrats Charles J. DiPiazza Jennifer Todd, both incumbents, are seeking reelection. Inga Stangroom is the lone Republican on the ballot.

Longtime Mayor Thomas J. Wilkinson, a Republican, is seeking reelection.

Lindsay Scrip is also running for reelection to tax collector.

Speers

In Speers Borough, Democratic incumbents Curtis “Curt” Rice, Kerry McCorkle Jr., and Republican Sally Jo Barcelona are seeking reelection to one of four, fouryear council seats on the ballot. Democrat Arlene Devine is also on the ballot.

Democrat John W. Sauer is seeking the one, two-year seat.

Mayor Timothy Herd, a Republican, has no opposition on either ticket.

Jackie Galiffa is running for tax collector.

Stockdale

Stockdale Borough has four, four-year seats open.

Democratic council members Sherri Martin, Bill Furlong and Lou Furlong are seeking reelection.

Mayor Robert Pascoe, also a Democrat, is running for reelection.

No Republicans are on the ballot.

Twilight

Democrats Louis P. Minardi Jr., Paul Minardi and John W. Toth, and Republicans John E. Ott are seeking one of four, four-year seats.

Republican Brandan Baker is seeking one, two-year council seat.

Amanda Minardi is running for mayor.

Ashley Brand is running for tax collector.

Union Township

Republican Linda Cole is seeking the one, six-year seat on the board of supervisors.

Tax Collector Bernadette Speer, a Democrat, faces opposition in the fall by Republican candidate Bob Hahner Jr.

West Brownsville

Seeking one of four, fouryear seats on West Brownsville council are Democrats Mark R. Tobak, Von D. Braddock and Susan L. Rutledge, along with Republicans Stephen Bucar, Melonie Ochkie and Debby L. King.

W. Dean Lacey is running for mayor on the Republican ticket.

Garnet S. Wooten is a candidate for tax collector

West Pike Run Township

Democrat Randolph Patterson is the only candidate for one, six-year seat on the West Pike Run Township board of supervisors.

Democrat Lori Patterson is running for tax collector.