Voters overwhelmingly reject government study commission
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
Washington County voters overwhelmingly chose “no” on the ballot question regarding a county government study commission in November’s election.
Kelly Stewart
Carrie Perrell
April Sloane
Sheriff Tony Andronas
Voters in Washington County overwhelmingly rejected a government study commission that would have reviewed the county’s form of government and possibly overhauled it.
The referendum failed during Tuesday’s general election by a 70 to 30% margin and appeared to be roundly disapproved by Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.
The initiative had mostly been panned by the Washington County Republican Party, which purchased numerous red and yellow signs that were placed across the county urging the electorate to “VOTE NO” on the referendum. But even mail-in and absentee ballots, which have recently been a barometer of Democratic Party support, were against the initiative 48 to 52%, according to early returns.
If it had been approved by voters Tuesday, the 11-member commission would have reviewed the county’s form of government for the next several months and then could have recommended changes. With its failure, the initiative fizzles out and the commission will not be convened.
The loss is a blow to Diana Irey Vaughan, the Republican county commission chairwoman, and Commissioner Larry Maggi, a Democrat, who crossed party lines in July to vote to approve the referendum to ask voters to choose whether to form the government study commission. Republican Commissioner Nick Sherman voted against the measure.
Tuesday’s election was also another strong showing by Republicans as they cemented their hold on county government by winning all three row offices on the ballot.
Longtime Recorder of Deeds Debbie Bardella, a Democrat, lost reelection 55 to 45% to Republican Carrie Perrell. Bardella had served as recorder of deeds since 1998 and will now hand the office over to Perrell, a Realtor from Nottingham Township.
The other two offices, which were occupied by Democrats, became open after the retirements of Sheriff Samuel Romano and Controller Michael Namie at the end of the year. Republican Tony Andronas, a North Strabane resident who currently serves in the sheriff’s office as chief deputy under Romano, beat Democrat Lou Reda by a 57 to 43% margin and will now succeed his boss as sheriff. In the race for controller, Republican April Sloane, a financial analyst from North Strabane, easily defeated Democrat Ben Bright by a 60 to 40% margin.
The election gives Republicans victories in seven of the past eight row office contests in the past two years.
In the only other countywide votes, Judge Gary Gilman easily won retention to another 10-year term on the bench for the Court of Common Pleas in Washington County, while Jesse Pettit secured his seat as a county judge after winning both the Democratic and Republican primaries in May.
Meanwhile, the only competitive district magistrate race in Washington County came down to fewer than 100 votes. Democrat Kelly Stewart appeared to beat Republican Patrick Puskarich with 1,548 votes to 1,468. When finalized, Stewart would replace outgoing District Judge Robert Redlinger, whose district includes Washington and North Franklin Township.