Election category, Page 132
Plum School District Republican committee members earn sweep for party nods; Dem newcomers get nods
Plum School District’s packed primary race resulted in Republican committee-endorsed candidates sweeping their party nods with several Democratic newcomers on the November ballot, ensuring a contested general election for six seats. Incumbents Steve Schlauch (14.13 %), Sue Caldwell (13.18 %) and Karin Acquaviva (11.92 %), along with fellow Republicans Jacqueline...
Democrat Joe Bia ousts embattled Arnold Mayor Karen Peconi
The challenger who defeated incumbent Arnold Mayor Karen Peconi in Tuesday’s primary called her actions last summer “an embarrassment” to the city, and it appears many Democratic voters agreed based on Joe Bia II’s victory by a three-to-one margin. Bia, an Arnold councilman with two years left in his first...
Incumbents cruise in Export; at least one newcomer headed to Delmont council
With 100% of the relevant precincts reporting, primary results in the Star’s coverage area are as follows as of 10 p.m.: DELMONT COUNCIL Dennis Urban (R, 48%) and Becky Matesevac (R, 43%), 79 total write-in votes (45 Democrat, 34 Republican). Write-in votes are a factor in this race because there...
Highlands incumbent Michelle Peters ousted by challengers
Two challengers sent an incumbent packing Tuesday in primary races for Highlands School Board, according to unofficial results. All three candidates cross-filed to seek two nominations up for grabs in the Republican and Democratic primaries in Highlands’ Region 3. Kristie J. Babinsack, 46, won the GOP and Democratic races, collecting...
GOP’s Fred Keller wins Pennsylvania’s special U.S. House election
HARRISBURG — Republican Fred Keller, a conservative state lawmaker, won the special election for Congress on Tuesday in a heavily Republican district that sprawls across areas of central and northern Pennsylvania that are a stronghold for President Trump. Keller, of Snyder County, will replace Republican Tom Marino, who resigned in...
Former planning commissioner wins contested Monroeville Council race
An incumbent and a political newcomer who ran unopposed for Monroeville Council in Tuesday’s primary sailed to victory while a former planning commissioner edged out his opponent, according to unofficial tallies. In Ward 6, Bob Williams, 75, earned 55.5% of the votes counted compared with opponent Domenic Russo Jr.’s 44.2%...
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney easily fends off 2 challengers in primary
PHILADELPHIA — Democrat Jim Kenney is poised to keep his job as mayor of the nation’s sixth largest city after fending off two challengers in Tuesday’s primary who criticized his signature achievement: a soda tax to help provide free preschool classes. The victory all but assures Kenney will stay on...
Joe Pittman wins big in state Senate special election
A longtime aide to former state Sen. Don White will replace his former boss in Harrisburg, according to unofficial election results. Republican Joe Pittman collected nearly two-thirds of the votes cast in Tuesday’s primary to defeat Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor Susan Boser in a special election race in the...
Pittsburgh Councilwoman Darlene Harris concedes to Bobby Wilson, other incumbents win
A medical researcher from Pittsburgh’s Spring Hill neighborhood appears to have ousted incumbent City Councilwoman Darlene Harris in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Harris, who was seeking her fourth term, conceded the race to Bobby Wilson, 36, shortly before 9:30 p.m. With 100% of precincts reporting as of 11 p.m., Wilson had...
Election results: 2019 primary
Click here for the 2019 primary election results from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties....
Zappala wins race for DA, while 2 Allegheny County Council incumbents fall
Two Allegheny County Council incumbents fell to challengers in Tuesday’s primary, but longtime District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. defeated the first challenger he’s faced in two decades. Political newcomer Bethany Hallam defeated longtime Allegheny Councilman John DeFazio in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for a shot at one of two at-large...
What Westmoreland voters need to know for Tuesday’s primary election
Westmoreland County’s nearly 236,000 registered voters head to the polls Tuesday to select from among 483 candidates running in 443 races. Voters will cast primary ballots to nominate candidates for state judge, county offices including commissioner, judge and sheriff, as well as school boards, local city and borough councils and...
Westmoreland Sheriff Jonathan Held holds off GOP primary challengers
Embattled Westmoreland County Sheriff Jonathan Held will continue his campaign for a third term in office. Held, while still defending himself against pending criminal charges of public corruption, on Tuesday defeated three Republican challengers to win the GOP nomination for sheriff. According to unofficial results, Held received 32.8% of the...
Westmoreland Republicans nominate Kertes, Chew for commissioner
Biochemist Doug Chew and Sean Kertes, chief of staff to retiring Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson, were nominated Tuesday as the Republican candidates who will seek to reclaim the GOP majority at the courthouse. Kertes and Chew finished atop the Republican primary for county commissioner, besting a field of seven...
Lower Burrell’s former solicitor challenging 2 city councilmen for seat
Lower Burrell’s former solicitor is going up against two incumbent councilmen for one of their seats on the Democratic ticket in Tuesday’s primary. There was a show of support on Facebook for Lower Burrell resident and longtime city solicitor Stephen Yakopec Jr. when his contract with the city was in...
Election guide: Here’s what you need to know for the primary
Primary Election Day is Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some of the notable races include Allegheny County district attorney, Allegheny County council, Pittsburgh city council, Westmoreland County sheriff and Westmoreland County commissioner. To get more information on polling places, go to the official election pages...
Newcomer seeks to unseat longtime Allegheny County councilman in at-large election
A stalwart of Allegheny County Council faces a rare challenger for a seat he’s held since the governing body started nearly 20 years ago. John DeFazio, a member of Allegheny County Council since its inception in 2000, faces political newcomer Bethany Hallam in a race for the Democratic at-large seat....
Westmoreland commissioner candidate pushes hard-right platform
Republican John Ventre, during an election forum Tuesday night in Greensburg, said “liberals who kill unborn babies” are not welcome in Westmoreland County. Ventre was one of six Republicans and one Democrat running for Westmoreland County commissioner who participated Tuesday night in the forum at the Greensburg Garden & Civic...
4 candidates seek party nominations for Westmoreland Register of Wills
Westmoreland County voters have to decide between two candidates on each the Republican and Democratic tickets for the Register of Wills office. Republican incumbent Sherry Magretti Hamilton, 42, of Hempfield is being challenged by former employee Kimberly Horrell, 54, of Greensburg. The Democratic ticket features Register of Wills deputy clerk...
Here’s where Franklin Regional school board candidates stand on the issues
As the primary election nears, 13 candidates are jockeying for general-election ballot spots in the Franklin Regional school board race. Below are Q&A responses and biographical information for each candidate. RICHARD ARNOLD • Age: 74 • Education: Bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University; master’s degree from West Virginia University; doctorate...
Crowded GOP field looking to survive primary, reclaim majority on Westmoreland commissioner board
When Republicans in 2011 won the party’s first majority on Westmoreland County’s Board of Commissioners in more than 60 years, it appeared the GOP was finally ready to take over the political landscape at the top of county leadership. But Democrats took back control of the board four years later....
Candidates needed for Irwin, North Irwin and Manor councils
Two boroughs — Irwin and North Irwin — should put out a “help wanted” sign to attract anyone willing to serve on council. Only one person — an incumbent in Irwin — is seeking his party’s nomination in the May 21 primary. There are three seats up for grabs in...
