Light Ballot in the Offing for Tuesday Election

Renovo Man Bids for Congress

LOCK HAVEN – Ballot-wise there is not a lot going on in the Clinton County staging of next Tuesday’s Pennsylvania General Primary election.

County voter registrar Maria Boileau told The Record everything is in readiness, a poll-worker training session was conducted at the Ross Library in Lock Haven on May 8 and May 20 the process will be in the hands of the voters.

And local voters will be able to count on their hands the number of county residents whose names will be appearing on the ballot.

Of that handful, only retired Army veteran Thomas Tarantella of Renovo has a contested primary race.

Tarantella has pushed his “stand with the people” campaign in seeking the Democratic Party nomination for Congress from the 5th district. His opponent is Brookville attorney Kerith Strano Taylor; both spoke at a Democratic dinner earlier this spring and both said they were inspired to run for the office by the governmental shutdown last October.

Tuesday’s winner will line up in November against three-term incumbent Glenn Thompson of Howard Township, Centre County. Thompson is unopposed for the Republican Party nomination.

Another county resident whose name will appear on the ballot is 76th District Rep. Mike (D-Lock Haven). The House Minority Whip is seeking a record 13th term in Harrisburg. He is unopposed in the primary and no Republicans have filed to seek their party’s nomination next week.

The two major parties will elect state committeemen. Curt Candor of Woodward Township is on the Republican ballot and Dean Reynolds of Pine Creek Township on the Democratic ballot.

Local party committee people are also to be elected but there are no Republican candidates and five Democrats: Lee Karchner for committeeman in Mill Hall; Adam Coleman for committeeman in Woodward Township and Kim Coleman for committeewoman in the same township; Mike Hanna Jr. for committeeman in Lock Haven’s third ward and Susan K. Hanna for committeewoman in the third ward.

County voters will join in the statewide contests to nominate candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor in November. Incumbent Tom Corbett is unopposed for the GOP nomination and four Democrats are vying for the opportunity to challenge him in the fall.

The county’s 34 precincts will be open next Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Their locations remain unchanged from last November’s election.

If form holds, voter participation will be light. Last year’s primary saw a 14.6 percent voter turnout, that figure improving to 31 percent in November. Readers can look for election night results next Tuesday as the tally becomes available at “therecord-online.”