(4/27) Registered Republicans and Democrats in Pennsylvania will head to the polls May 16 to decide their party’s candidates for county, municipal, and school board races. Local elected officials decide on important issues that affect citizens’ day-to-day lives but yet only 28.68 percent of registered voters participated in the last local primary election, in 2021. Few people run for office, and one southwestern Adams County borough has more seats open than people running.
Countywide offices in Adams have all but been decided with the minimum number of candidates seeking their party’s nominations. Republican incumbents Jim Martin and Randy Phiel are once again seeking the two slots on November’s ballot. Incumbent Marty Qually and newcomer Rob Smith will likely capture the Democratic nominations.
No Democrats are seeking other open countywide offices.
Similar to the commissioners’ race, the Republican nominations are almost guaranteed. Political newcomer Tammy Myers is hoping to replace retiring County Controller John Phillips. Longtime Deputy Coroner Francis Dutrow is seeking his succeed his boss, retiring County Coroner Pat Felix. Beverly Boyd and Karen Heflin are seeking re-election to their roles as prothonatary and register and recorder, respectively. District Attorney Brian Sinnett is running unopposed for the county’s top law enforcement position. Magisterial District Judge Mark Beauchat is also running unopposed for the judicial district that covers the Fairfield area of the county.
The Fairfield Area School Board has five slots open. Pennsylvania law permits school board candidates to crossfile. Lauren Kaye Clark, Kelly Christiano, Lashay Kalathas, Jennifer Holz, and Lisa M. Sturges are seeking both the Democratic and Republican nominations for school board.
Fairfield Borough is facing a shortage of civic engagement. Four seats are open but only three are seeking their party’s nomination - Republican Phyllis Gilbert and Democrats Sarah C. Thomas and Patricia Smith. Borough residents can seek to fill the fourth seat through a write-in campaign during the primary or by requesting their party’s nomination after the primary.
Fairfield has more Democrats running than Republicans, but it is a different story over in the next borough to the west, Carroll Valley. No Democrats wish to sit on the borough council but four Republicans - John Schubring, Bruce Carr, L. Michael Wight, and Cody Gilbert - hope to represent their fellow citizens. Similar to other municipalities, Carroll Valley has as many candidates as seats available.
Ryan Picarelli and Edward Spence are likely locked-in to receive the Republican party’s nomination for two seats on the Hamiltonban Township Board of Supervisors. No Democrats are seeking the chairs.
Liberty Township is an outlier in the Toms Creek Valley with three people seeking one available seat on the three-member board of supervisors. Incumbent Walter "Mickey" Barlow will face-off against Johnny Gereny and Adams Sanders for the Republican nomination. No Democrats are candidates for the slot.
Democrat and longtime supervisor Paul Kellett is seeking a six-year term on the Liberty Township’s board of supervisors. No Republicans or other Democrats are hoping to unseat Kellett.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., May 16.
