Three incumbent Hempfield Area school board members and two challengers won the nominations on the Democratic and Republican ballots for four seats on the board, based on unofficial primary results.

Directors Diane Ciabattoni, Scott Learn and Paul Ward won nominations on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, giving them a big advantage in the November general election. Dana Smith, making his first bid for public office, won the Democratic nomination and Jerry Radebaugh, also a first-time candidate, won on the Republican ticket.

Ciabattoni, 74, led all candidates on the Democratic ticket with 21.1% of the vote, followed by Smith, 48, at 12.7% of the vote; Learn, 52, at 11.7%, and Ward, 55, at 11.6%. Those trailing on the Democratic ballot were Corey Thoma, 31, with 11.5% of the vote; Radebaugh, 42, at 10.7%; Camdon Porterfield, 29, with 9.2%; Joshua Myers, 30, with 6.7%; and Paul Berginc Sr., 73, with 4%.

On the Republican side of the ballot, Ward led all candidates with 15.6%, followed by Learn at 13.3%, Radebaugh at 13.2% and Ciabattoni at 12.4%. Those who failed to make the GOP ticket were Smith at 11.5%; Porterfield at 10.8%; Myers, 8.1%; Thoma at 8.0% and Berginc Sr. at 6.7%.

Those candidates whose names are on both tickets have the advantage in the November election of getting their combined votes on the Republican and Democratic ballots.

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