Primary Election Tuesday, May 19
County Democratic Races Highlight Ballot
LOCK HAVEN – When it comes to Tuesday’s Clinton County municipal election, Democrats will be waging a couple contested races; otherwise the May primary will serve to little more than line up the major party candidates for the November election.
The race garnering perhaps the most interest is the contest for the Democratic nomination for district attorney. The two candidates are current assistant district attorney Paul Ryan and current public defender Dave Strouse. The winner will face off in November against Fred Lingle, a former county DA who is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Four Democrats are seeking that party’s two nominations for county commissioner. The field includes two-term incumbent Joel Long, former school board member/Castanea Township supervisor Paul Conklin, Lock Haven realtor Richard Morris and Renovo veteran Vincent Tarantella Sr.
The top two vote-getters on Tuesday will square off in November against the incumbent first-term Republican commissioners Pete Smeltz and Jeff Snyder; they are the only two GOP candidates for their party’s two nominations.
Two row office races will see uncontested primaries:
Present county register and recorder Jennifer Hoy is unopposed for the GOP nomination while Jason Walker is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. It is the same situation in the race for a successor to retiring sheriff Chuck Ankney; Kerry Stover will be the only Democrat on the ballot and Ed Higgins the only Republican.
One row office incumbent, Marie Vilello, has no opposition for the Democratic nomination for a second term while no Republicans filed to challenge her in November, all but assuring her reelection.
Each party has two candidates up for the part-time positions of county auditor, including the three incumbents, Democrats Michelle Crowell and Robert Rooney and Republican Peggy Heller. Former auditor Rita O’Brien is the second candidate on the GOP ballot.
Local contested races will include mayor of Lock Haven, three candidates seeking to replace Rick Vilello who recently resigned to join the Gov. Tom Wolf administration. Democratic council members Bill Baney and Steve Stevenson are seeking that party’s nomination while councilman Rick Conklin is on the Republican ballot.
There are two contested Keystone Central School Board races. Region Eight will see board president Jack Peters challenged by Boise Miller and former district administrator Jeff Johnston.
In Region Three incumbent Greg Strouse is being challenged by Lynn Bechdel. All those school board candidates have cross-filed with the exception of Bechdel who filed only as a Republican.
