May 29, 2013 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – A tally of write-in votes for the May 21 primary election indicates there will be no race for Greene County sheriff in November.

Brian Tennant, who easily won the Democratic nomination defeating candidates William Lewis Jr. and Erik Ketchem, also appears to have won the Republican nomination with write-in votes.

The tally of write-in votes was completed Wednesday by the Greene County Office of Elections and Voter Registration. The results will remain unofficial until they are certified by the Greene County Elections Board, said Tina Kiger, director of the office. That could happen as soon as today, she said. Those who won by write-in votes also could decide not to accept their nominations.

The three candidates for sheriff ran as Democrats. On the Democratic ballot, Tennant received 2,893 votes; Lewis, 652 votes; and Ketchem, 931 votes.

On the Republican ballot, Tennant received 765 write-in votes; Lewis, 62 write-in votes; and Ketchem, 87 write-in votes.

“I’m just happy voters on both sides of the ballot put their trust and confidence in me,” said Tennant, a Waynesburg Borough police officer. “I hope to lead the department in a new direction, one that will benefit all of the people of Greene County,” he said.

The tally of write-in votes created races for supervisors and tax collectors in several municipalities in which there were none judging by earlier ballot results.

In Aleppo Township, David Logan won the Republican nomination for supervisor with 14 write-in votes. No candidate appeared on the Republican ballot. He will face Leslie R. Dulaney, the only ballot candidate and winner of the Democratic nomination.

In Springhill Township, Burl Hughes won the Democratic nomination for supervisor with 28 write-in votes. No candidate appeared on the Democratic ballot. He will face Bruce Johnson, who won on the Republican ballot. Johnson also received 25 write-in votes on the Democratic ballot.

In Morgan Township, Susan Novak won the Republican nomination for tax collector with 22 write-in votes. Novak had lost to Jean Sowden Redman on the Democratic ballot in a 194 to 123 vote.

In Waynesburg Borough, Linda Corfont won the Republican nomination for tax collector with 26 write-in votes. Corfont had been defeated on the Democratic ballot by Mary Jane McClure in a 183 to 126 vote.

In Perry Township, Marcy Raddish won the Republican nomination for auditor for a six-year term with 19 write-in votes. Raddish had lost on the Democratic ballot to Lewis C. Fox in a 129 to 96 vote.

In Greensboro Borough, Ralph Jannini, one of two candidates to appear on the Democratic ballot for the three council seats, was defeated by two write-in candidates.

Tom Flynn received 50 write-in votes and Shawn McManis, 33 write-in votes on the Democratic ballot. Jannini had received seven votes. The other candidate on the Democratic ballot, Todd Perry, received the nomination with 46 votes.

Flynn also received a Republican nomination for council with 13 write-in votes. The two other Republican nominees, whose names were listed on the ballot, are Travis Barkley, who received three votes, and Brianna W.B. Barkley, who received two votes.

A school director’s seat on the West Greene School Board representing Aleppo, Freeport, Gilmore and Springhill townships, for which no candidates appeared on either ballot, was filled by write-in votes. Ginger Wise won the Democratic nomination, receiving 10 write-in votes, the minimum needed for a nomination.

A write-in candidate for the single board seat on the Central Greene School Board, representing Perry, Wayne and Whiteley townships, lost in a close race to the candidate listed on the ballot.

Mark Leidecker, who cross-filed and was the only candidate on the ballot, won the Republican nomination with 66 votes; Bridgett Montgomery received 58 write-in votes on the Republican ballot. Leidecker won the Democratic nomination with 178 votes; Montgomery received 167 write-in votes on the Democratic ballot.

Write-in candidates who won nominations for offices in which no candidates appeared on either ballot included David Jack, Democratic nomination for Carmichaels Borough mayor, 13 write-in votes; Kimberly Provance, Democratic nomination for Rices Landing tax collector, 26 write-in votes; Tracy Gorby, Democratic nomination for Aleppo Township auditor, six-year term, 14 write-in votes; and Jackie Mason, Democratic nomination for Aleppo Township auditor, four-year term, 13 write-in votes.

A number of other municipal candidates whose names appeared on the ballot and who won the nomination for their party also received the nomination through write-in votes from the other party. However, these candidates will not face challengers in the fall.