Nov 22, 2017 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Gene Rush appears to have secured the position of Greene County coroner after incumbent Gregory Rohanna declined to challenge the results.

However, the certification of the Nov. 7 election in Greene County is likely to be delayed after a petition seeking a recount of ballots for another race – the office of Center Township supervisor – was filed Monday with Greene County Court.

Rohanna, who has served as coroner since 1996, had until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to file a challenge. Rohanna issued a statement over the weekend conceding the race to Rush and thanking his staff, supporters and emergency responders.

“While I am disappointed that I lost the race, I remain proud of my time in office. I treated the people I served and the deaths I investigated with dignity, respect and privacy,” Rohanna said in a written statement. “I wish Mr. Rush all the best as coroner, and I’m sure he will continue the legacy demonstrated by prior coroners of respect and privacy for those grieving the loss of a loved one.”

As a result, the race for coroner will be won by Rush, 69, a Republican from Rogersville, by just four votes out of nearly 7,000 ballots cast.

Rush had been ahead by eight votes on election night following the voting machine count, but then was behind by one vote following an initial count of 228 absentee and provisional ballots.

A second count of the absentee and provisional ballots conducted by the election staff as part of the canvass put Rush ahead by four votes, 3,355 to 3,351. He will take office in January.

Meanwhile, the formal certification of the election will be delayed after five Center Township electors petitioned the court asking for a recount of the ballots and a test of voting machines in regard to the township supervisor’s race in which incumbent Republican Seann P. McCollum was apparently defeated by Democratic challenger Harry D. Gillispie by 12 votes, 202 to 190.

The closeness of the race between those two candidates requires a recount and recanvass, the petition states, “as there exists a possibility of human or machine error” in the count.

The petition further claims that fraud or an error may have been committed in the counting and canvassing of ballots or some or all three voting machines used in the precinct may either have failed to properly register the votes or improperly switched votes.

The petition was filed by James E. Wendell, Chad Wendell, John W. Wilkerson, Walter A. Burns and Amanda Burns.

Greene County Judge Farley Toothman on Monday ordered voting machines that were used in the township impounded and delivered to the courthouse. He scheduled the recount and the testing of the machines for 1 p.m. today in his courtroom.

Had a challenge not been filed, the elections board, formed by the three county commissioners, could have certified the election today, elections office director Tina Kiger said.

With the recount, Kiger did not know when the board might be in a position to certify the results.

“That all depends on how long it takes to complete the recount and test the machines,” she said.

If the court challenge is decided today and the board is available, the certification could happen later today, Kiger said. If not, the earliest the results can be certified is Monday because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

No other election challenges were filed by the deadline.