Westmoreland Election Bureau gives final certification to all primary races, except Norwin School Board

Westmoreland County’s election board has given final certification to all but one of last month’s primary election results.

No challenges were lodged against the final tallies recorded last week and as a result the field for the November general election is mostly set when votes are cast for the board of county commissioners, two new judges, row officers, borough councils, township supervisors and school board members.

Democratic incumbents county commissioners Ted Kopas and Gina Cerilli will seek to retain their seats against Republicans Sean Kertes, chief of staff to retiring Commissioner Charles Anderson, and microbiologist Doug Chew. The top three finishers in November will win seats on the board.

Three attorneys, Democrats Mike Stewart II and Jessica Rafferty and Republican Justin Walsh, who currently serves as a state representative, are vying for two judicial positions on the county’s Common Pleas Court.

Two-term Republican Controller Jeff Balzer will be challenged by Democrat Mark Mears; Democratic Recorder of Deeds Tom Murphy will face Republican Frank Schiefer; Republican Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton will seek her second term against Democrat Katie Pecarchik; and two-term Republican Treasurer Jared Squires will seek to defeat Democrat Matt Mascara.

Republican Sheriff Jonathan Held will run for his third term in office against Democrat James Albert, a former district judge in Greensburg.

The county’s election board will meet next week to issue a final certification for the Norwin School Board, where nine candidates sought five seats. The district includes about two streets in White Oak and North Versailles in Allegheny County.

Keith Genicola of North Huntingdon and Joanna Jordan of Irwin, finished in a fifth-place tie for the last Republican nomination based on Westmoreland County’s results. Jordan was initially declared the winner based on a drawing of lots.

But late votes reported last week, five that were tallied in Allegheny County, changed the outcome and gave Genicola a one-vote lead.

Barring any court challenges, that race is expected to be certified June 18.