Democratic turnout surpasses Republicans in Westmoreland primary election

Westmoreland County’s primary election results are in the books.

The county elections board gave final certification to the hundreds of races on the Republican and Democrat ballots last month, setting the stage for November’s general election.

Election Bureau Director Scott Ross said nearly 54,000 ballots were cast for the May 20 primary, representing a voter turnout just shy of 25%. Republicans voters account for 52% of all ballots cast while Democratic ballots were about 48%.

Republican voter turnout was 22%, and Democratic was 29%.

Township supervisors, borough councils and mayoral races, along with contests for school board seats, will be featured in the general election Nov. 4.

No countywide races will be contested in the fall, with incumbent District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli, Prothonotary Gina O’Barto, Clerk of Courts Megan Loughner and Common Pleas Judge Matt Schimizzi facing no opposition on the heels of their uncontested primary races.

Republicans Katie Pecarchik and John Ackerman, who defeated GOP incumbents John Wian and Tim Carson in their races for register of wills and coroner, are also unopposed this fall. They each won write-in campaigns to run as Democrats in the general election in addition to their victories in the GOP primary.

County voters this fall will be asked to consider retention votes for three incumbent Common Pleas judges: Harry Smail Jr., Scott Mears and Tim Krieger. All three judges were elected to their first 10-year terms on the bench in 2015.