Election Day races to watch across the region on Tuesday

From the Westmoreland County commissioners to the Allegheny County executive and district attorney, numerous high-profile races will greet voters on Election Day.

Arguably, no race has been more contentious than for state Supreme Court, where Republican Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Carluccio and Democratic Superior Court Judge Daniel McCaffery are squaring off.

In Allegheny County, Democrat Sara Innamorato and Republican Joe Rockey are vying to replace outgoing county Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Numerous school board seats are up for grabs, as well as those for district judge.

Here is a look at some of Tuesday’s notable races.

Allegheny County executive

Two candidates seek the open position for the top elected office in Allegheny County.

Democrat Sara Innamorato, 38, of Lawrenceville faces off against Republican Joe Rockey, 58, of Ohio Township. Both are vying to succeed incumbent Democrat Rich Fitzgerald, who is term-limited after serving since 2012.

Innamorato is a former state representative who is running on a progressive platform of coalition-building to help improve the county’s public services to address homeless and public safety, boost affordable housing and improve public transportation.

Rockey, a retired PNC executive and first-time candidate, is a self-declared centrist who has focused on improving public safety, as well as lobbying for more jobs and economic growth in Allegheny County.

The race is the most expensive in Western Pennsylvania, garnering nearly $2.5 million in spending and more than $1.5 million on political ads.

Allegheny County district attorney

The race for Allegheny County’s top prosecutor is a rematch from the spring primary election.

Democrat Matt Dugan defeated incumbent District Attorney Stephen Zappala in the spring, but Zappala, a longtime Democrat, received enough write-in votes from Republicans to appear on the GOP ballot in the general election.

Dugan, 43, of Moon is running on a reform platform and believes the District Attorney’s Office should be helping to divert low-level offenders to community service so resources can be freed up to more aggressively prosecute violent crimes.

Zappala, 66, of Fox Chapel follows more traditional policies on prosecuting crime. He has served as district attorney for more than 25 years. Since receiving the GOP nomination, he has embraced a conservative philosophy, calling Dugan’s platform “a virus” that coddles criminals and abandons victims.

Election coverage:

• Political spending
• Sara Innamorato and Joe Rockey square off to become next Allegheny County executive
• Dugan threatens Zappala's 25-year grip on Allegheny County DA's Office
• School board meetings attract crowds as races become next political frontier

Westmoreland County commissioner

The race for county commissioner includes a former commissioner, a replacement candidate and two incumbents.

Democrat Ted Kopas, 50, was appointed to the board to replace Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher, who resigned to take a job as a worker’s compensation judge.

Kopas joined first-term Republicans Sean Kertes, 37, and Doug Chew, 53, as the county’s top executives. All three are asking voters to return them to office in the Nov. 7 general election.

They are joined on the ballot by Democrat Lisa Gephart, 56, who entered the race in late August as a replacement candidate following the withdrawal of Sydney Hovis, who along with Kopas won the party’s May primary with an eye toward reclaiming a board majority that the GOP took over in 2020.

Westmoreland County sheriff

Republican James Albert of New Alexandria will seek a second term in office when he runs for the first time as a Republican. He switched his party affiliation after he was elected to the post in 2019. His opponent is Democrat Tommy John Hamacker, a retired truck driver and former constable.

Plum-Oakmont district judge

A Plum councilman and a Riverview School Board member are vying to succeed Linda Zucco as the district judge serving Plum and Oakmont.

Republican Mike Doyle, 58, of Plum was elected to the borough’s council in 2005 and has been its president for 15 years. His council seat is not among the three up for election this year. He is a licensed insurance agent and a senior vice president and branch manager with Excalibur Insurance Management Services.

Democrat Melanie Pallone, 62, of Oakmont is an attorney and criminal justice professor. She is nearing the end of her first four-year term on the Riverview School Board and is not seeking reelection to the board.

Lower Valley district judge

The former presidents of Springdale and Cheswick borough councils are seeking the district judge seat in the Lower Valley.

The district covers Cheswick, Frazer, Harmar, Springdale and Springdale Township.

Michael Girardi, 37, of Cheswick and Mitchell Karaica, 51, of Springdale are seeking to replace David Sosovicka, who did not seek reelection.

Judicial elections are nonpartisan, and both candidates cross-filed in the May primary. Girardi secured the Republican Party’s nomination, and Karaica received the Democratic Party’s nod.

Karaica, who served as Spring­dale’s council president, works as a control room operator at Brunot Island Power Station and said he has been a union officer for more than 20 years. He said he took the district judge course in Harrisburg in June and passed the exam on the first attempt.

Girardi, who was Cheswick’s council president, works as an attorney in Lower Burrell and teaches law at Penn State New Kensington. Girardi earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2012.

Lower Burrell/Allegheny Township district judge

Longtime Alle-Kiski Valley attorney Leslie Uncapher Zellers is challenging incumbent Cheryl Peck Yakopec for district judge in northwestern Westmoreland County.

The district includes Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell, Allegheny Township, Vandergrift, Hyde Park, East Vandergrift, West Leechburg and Oklahoma Borough.

In May, Peck Yakopec, 71, of Lower Burrell, captured the Democratic nomination, while Uncapher Zellers, 57, of Allegheny Township, secured the Republican nomination. Both candidates cross-filed since judicial elections are nonpartisan.

Peck Yakopec is seeking her sixth term on the bench. She has been a district judge for more than 25 years and worked as a public defender. She previously noted that, if reelected, she would certify as a senior judge when she turns 75 to complete the rest of her term.

Uncapher Zellers, an attorney for 30 years, has practiced law with the Vandergrift firm of Uncapher, Uncapher and Fox for the past 23 years. She also serves as a court-appointed attorney representing children in the child-welfare system, orphans court and juvenile matters.

Murrysville district judge

Two Murrysville attorneys will vie to replace retiring District Judge Charles Conway.

Republican Robert Klingensmith, an attorney for more than 20 years, will face fellow Republican Judi Petrush, who will appear on the Democrat side of the ballot. Petrush has served as an assistant district attorney since 1995. Candidates for district judge can cross-file for the race.

Springdale Council

Five people are seeking three seats on Springdale Council as the aftermath of the implosion of the former Cheswick Generating Station and an injunction to stop its boiler plant from being imploded continues to weigh on the borough.

Incumbent Republicans Dan Copeland and Shawn Fitzgerald Jr. face challenges from Mark Stanton, a Republican and former councilman; and Dolly J. Stephens, a Democrat. Joe Kern, a Republican and one of 16 residents behind the injunction, is running as a write-in candidate.

Allegheny Valley School Board

Voters in the Allegheny Valley School District will see three different races for the upcoming election.

In the first race, six people — Democrats Amy Sarno, Paula Jean Moretti, Nicole Paulovich and Glenna Renaldi; and Republicans Kathleen “Jeanne” Haas and James Schiemer — are vying for five seats for four-year terms on the school board.

In the second race, Mary Ellen Ecker is unopposed for a two-year term.

The third race pits Democrat Nino Pollino against Republican Colleen Crumb for a two-year seat.

On the ballots, Sarno, Haas, Moretti, Paulovich and Ecker are cross-filed.

Bullying has emerged as a key issue especially after the U.S. Department of Education announced in September that it had resolved a disability harassment investigation into the district. The investigation revealed a student was subjected to slurs, threats and physical attacks over a course of six months, and the district mishandled the reports.

The agreement requires the district to train all of its staff, conduct a climate assessment and review all bullying incidents at the school for a three-year period.

Deer Lakes School Board

Seven candidates are vying for five seats on the board. The directors are elected by citizens of East Deer, Frazer and West Deer.

Joining incumbent Democrats Cristy McCloskey and Larry Neidig, who are cross-filed, in the race are former board member Phillip Ziendarski, a Democrat; and newcomers James Calvert, a cross-filed Democrat; Susan Claus, Democrat; Pietro Porco, Republican; and Leonard Verdetto III, Republican.

Among the issues candidates raised are student safety and mental health, as well as maintaining fiscal accountability and stability, especially since a turnaround at the Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer remains uncertain.

Franklin Regional School Board

Seven candidates will compete for five full-term school board seats, while the current board president goes up against a challenger for a two-year seat.

Incumbents Scott Weinman and Vince Azzolina, will join George App, Amy Sheridan, Josh Zebrak, Deb Bucciero and John Fallat on the ballot for the four-year seat.

For the two-year seat, incumbent Herb Yingling will face David Murphy.

Greater Latrobe School Board

Six candidates are vying for five four-year seats on the board. The board recently approved a multimillion-dollar revitalization plan that will raise taxes through 2039, and the issue has drawn the interest of several write-in candidates along with six official candidates, including two newcomers seeking office.

The incumbents are Susan Mains, who is seeking a ninth term; Michael Zorch, who is seeking a seventh term; Merle Musick, who is seeking a fourth term; and current board President Eric Hauser. Bradley Toman and John Urban are the newcomers.

Mains, Hauser, Zorch and Toman cross-filed. Urban is on the Democratic ticket, and Musick is on the Republican slate.

Incumbent Rhonda Laughlin, who is cross-filed, also is running for reelection — but for a two-year term that is uncontested on the ballot.

The resolution to move forward with the revitalization plan passed, 5-4, at the September board meeting. Of those running in the general election, Hauser, Laughlin, Mains and Zorch voted in favor, and Musick voted no.

Greensburg Council

Two seats on city council are open and voters will have a choice among incumbents in Democratic nominees Sheila Brumley and Randal Finfrock and Republican challenger Carrie Hamley.

Greensburg mayor

It has been the better part of a year since Greensburg was rocked by the resignation of its former police chief, Shawn Denning, as he was arrested on federal charges of serving as a go-between in purchases of drugs from California. That case remains to be resolved.

In the race for mayor, Democrat Robb Bell said he is seeking a third term and will face Republican challenger G. Domenic Spino. Each candidate recognized the challenge the police chief’s resignation placed on the city and both say economic development and the ongoing revitalization of the downtown are core issues the city faces.

Greensburg Salem School Board

Three incumbents and three newcomers are vying for five seats on the board, which to date has been able to steer clear of the division that has arisen in other school districts in the region. Work recently has begun on a long-range facilities plan.

Those seeking to join the board are Justin Aion, Kacey Byrne-Houser and Tyler Courtney. Incumbents on the ballot are Brian Conway, who is seeking a second term; Robin Beckadic-Savage, who is running for a third term; and Frank Gazze, who is completing his 18th year as a board member.

Hempfield Area School Board

There are nine candidates for five seats on the board.

After a year and a half of debate, in August the board approved new policies governing what books and materials should be included in the district’s collections. The rules set restrictions on sexual content — written or visual — and nudity in books and formal procedures for how a book can be challenged.

Even as the district debated how and which books should be available, a planned renovation of the high school has stalled as bids came in millions of dollars more than projected.

Four incumbents are seeking reelection: Vince DeAugustine, who cross-filed; Republicans Jennifer Bretz and Michael Alfery; and Democrat Jeanne Smith.

Democrats Colleen Gallagher, Kathy Charlton and Erin Johns Speese and Republicans Jennifer Stape and Tracy Miller are new candidates for the board.

Highlands School Board

Voters in the Highlands School District have an array of options, with eight candidates seeking five positions on the board.

In Region 3, the race was all but decided in the spring when 18-year-old Democrat Eli Majocha and Democratic incumbent Kristie Babinsack won the top two nominations on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, where two seats are available. Region 3 stretches from Silverlake Park to the Freeport border.

In Regions 1 and 2, however, stakes are high for the three available positions.

Voters in Region 1, which includes Fawn and most of Tarentum, will have their pick of Democrats Jenny Bosak and Christa Jones and Republicans Justin Kipp and incumbent Gene Witt.

In Region 2, which includes Brackenridge and parts of Harrison, newcomers Autumn Monaghan, a Democrat, and Shane Chesher, a Republican, will face off.

Top concerns facing the district include bullying and a high turnover rate of staff.

In June, the Highlands Education Association presented its findings of listening tours conducted during the 2022-23 school year to collect feedback from members in every building. Among the issues raised were staffing shortage, teacher turnover, bullying and behavioral issues, as well as the need to expand special education and intervention services.

Norwin School Board

Ten candidates — five each on the Republican and Democratic ballots — have formed competing factions in the race for five seats on the board.

The board has been divided into two factions for 22 months, and voters likely will determine which slate of candidates will control the board.

Robert Wayman, the lone incumbent running for reelection, is joined by Lynda Funk, Tammy Moreno, Tom Ryan and Dale Weisensee on the Republican ticket under the Norwin4Change slate.

They are opposed by Bill Bojalad, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum, Matt Thomas and Nina Totin on the Democratic ticket, running on the We aRe Norwin slate.