Voters stick with familiar faces for commissioner
WAYNESBURG – Greene County voters stayed with familiar faces in Tuesday’s election for Greene County commissioner.
Voters returned to the board two incumbents, Democrat Blair Zimmerman and Republican Archie Trader, as well as a former county commissioner, Democrat Dave Coder.
Keith McClure, a Republican, was unsuccessful in what was his first bid for elected office.
Unofficial totals from the Greene County elections office for all 44 precincts showed Zimmerman receiving the most votes, 4,329; followed by Trader, with 3,690 votes; Coder, 3,672 votes and McClure, 3,075 votes.
Zimmerman, 62, of Franklin Township, who was appointed to the board in 2012, won his first full term in office.
“I felt a little nervous. I don’t take anything for granted,” Zimmerman said late Tuesday. “I’m just thankful for the people who came out and voted for me.”
During the campaign, Zimmerman said, he hoped to emphasize he is sincere and always does his best for the people of Greene County.
“I hope people got the message that I’m the real deal. I’m sincere in what I do and I always try to do my best,” Zimmerman said. “When people call the office, I’m the person who tries to answer their questions, though the answers I give them might not always be the ones they want.”
Trader, 72, of Washington Township, was re-elected to his third term of office. Reached at home late Tuesday, Trader said he was very happy with Tuesday’s outcome.
“I look forward to working with the other two commissioners. I think we’ll have a good relationship and things will continue to get done,” he said.
Trader said to his knowledge, he is the first Republican who was won three consecutive elections for commissioner in Greene County.
One commissioner about 40 years ago won two consecutive elections and the late John Gardner, although he won more than one election, never won them consecutively, Trader said.
Trader attributed his success to the commissioners’ good fiscal management.
“We haven’t raised taxes in over seven years and people appreciate that,” he said.
The county also has been able to put money aside for a rainy day.
“It was a good night,” said Coder, who served as a county commissioner for 14 years, from 1996 to 2010, and who resigned to become district director for then-Congressman Mark Critz.
“We ran a good, grass roots campaign and did a lot of door to door campaigning,” Coder said.
“I’m just very thankful for the support I received from Greene County voters. I’m looking forward to the challenge and the opportunities going forward,” he said.
McClure, 61, of Franklin Township, could not be reached Tuesday for comment.
Commissioner Charles Morris, who lost in the primary, also ran a write-in campaign. The number of write-in votes cast for commissioner was 1,047, though it was unknown late Tuesday how many of the votes were for him.