Incumbent wins drawing to break tie in Avella School Board race
A school board candidate who won a tie-breaker round Tuesday in the Washington County elections office said his experience shows “every vote counts.”
Jeffrey W. Devenney emerged victorious when he and Terry Jacobs Jr. agreed whoever drew the higher one from 16 face-down numbered balls would take the seat on the Avella School Board.
Devenney chose an 8 while Jacobs picked 7, so it will be Devenney who takes the oath of office for a fourth, four-year term when the Avella School Board reorganizes Dec. 4.
Devenney expects his next term will also be his last.
“My kids will be all out of school at that point,” he said after the luck of the draw went his way. “I’ll leave it up to the younger generation.”
He may someday be serving on the school board with his Nov. 5 opponent.
“Two years from now, we’ll run again,” said Jacobs, 31, a software engineering manager.
Devenney, 50, teaches biology in Washington School District.
“This makes it official,” said Debbie Bentz, school board secretary, who witnessed the drawing and picked up certificates for each board member in advance of the swearing-in ceremony.
The names of three candidates were on the ballot earlier this month for two seats to represent Independence Township in Avella’s Region III District. Summer Miller was elected outright, but Democrat Jacobs and Republican Devenney each received 181 votes when absentee ballots were tallied.
Also taking office for Avella School Board four-year terms from Region I will be James Gagich, who cross-filed, and Republican Emanuel A. Paris IV; and Republican Leslie R. Thames representing Region II.
The other tie-breaker was a contest among 11 Chartiers Township auditor candidates who each received a single write-in vote. No one filed for a ballot position or was nominated in the primary.
Zachary Simpson, who had a proxy draw for him, was the winner Tuesday among three write-in candidates who expressed interest in holding office and received a write-in vote.