Pennsylvania Municipal Primary Tuesday; Few Contested Races in Clinton County

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LOCK HAVEN — It is called an “off-year” election, the year following a presidential race, and that is what voters will be participating in Tuesday, the Pennsylvania 2017 Municipal Primary. While the voter turnout is often light in off-year primaries, no one will be able to blame the weatherman. The Tuesday forecast calls for a high approaching 80 degrees, blue skies and low humidity.

In Clinton County most all races are uncontested and will serve only to line up the finalists for the November 7 election.

There are two significant exceptions and both involve district magistrates. In District I, the Lock Haven area, incumbent Joseph Sanders III is challenged by Lock Haven Police Chief Keith Kibler in the latter’s first try at elective office. Sanders is seeking a fourth term as a district justice. Both have cross-filed and will be on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.

And there is a challenge in District III, the Renovo area, where incumbent Frank Mills is again opposed by Eric Ditty. Mills defeated Ditty in the 2011 general election; both have cross-filed for next week’s primary.

The county’s third magisterial district, the Mill Hall area’s District II, sees incumbent John Maggs unopposed on both tickets in the primary.

The Renovo area will see a primary race for Keystone Central School Board, western Clinton County representative/board president James “Butch” Knauff opposed by Eric Probert. Lock Haven hill region representative Roger Elling is challenged by former Jersey Shore High School athletic director Bill Mincer; while Elling has cross-filed, Mincer’s name appears only on the Democratic ballot. Woodward Township area representative Albert Jones is unchallenged for re-election and incumbent board member Tom Shafer is not seeking re-election in the Mill Hall/Lamar Township district; there is no candidate on the Tuesday ballot from that area.

Voters from the county’s two main parties will see two county row office contests on the ballot. In one of them first-term county coroner Zach Hanna is unopposed for the Democratic nomination and no Republicans have filed to run against him.

County treasurer Michelle Kunes, completing her first full term in office, is unopposed for the GOP nomination while current county auditor Michelle Crowell is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Because the primary is a “closed” one, only registered Democrats and Republicans are eligible to vote. Final figures this week from county voter registrar Maria Boileau show there are 10,300 Republicans and 9.045 Democrats able to vote although the turnout is not expected to be a heavy one in a non-presidential year. Meanwhile 34 Green Party members, 122 Libertarians and 2,791 “others” won’t be able to vote until the November election.
County polling places will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Therecord-online will be providing election night coverage as results become available.

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