2019 primary election: 3 contests decided in Palmerton area

Three contested races were decided on Tuesday in Palmerton area municipalities, including a Democratic nomination for a seat on the Lower Towamensing Township Board of Supervisors, a Republican nomination for a two-year term on the Palmerton Borough Council and a Republican nomination for a two-year term on the Bowmanstown Borough Council.

Here is what happened in those municipalities:

Lower Towamensing Township

Connie D. Brown won the Democratic nomination for the six-year term on the board of supervisors, defeating Ronald A. Walbert by a vote of 97-47. There were also 65 Republican write-in votes which will have to be reviewed by the county’s election board to determine if Brown has an opponent in November.

The Lower Towamensing voters are also scheduled to fill a six-year term on the township’s board of auditors.

Palmerton

Michael J. Ballard won the GOP nomination for the two-year term on Palmerton Borough Council, defeating Andrew J. Hollywood, 167-144. There were 18 write-in votes from Democrats that need to be reviewed to determine if Ballard will have a general election opponent for the post.

Meanwhile, three Democrats and three Republicans ran unopposed for three nominations for four-year terms on the council.

The Democrats are Holly F. Hausman-Sell, who collected 198 token votes; Randolph Gursky, 196; and Donald F. Heiney, 189.

The Republicans are Terry Costenbader, who garnered 253 complimentary votes; Hollywood, 215; and Joseph Slovick, 204.

The six candidates will square off against each other in the fall.

Bowmanstown

William Ravert won the GOP nomination for the two-year term on the Bowmanstown Borough Council, defeating Joseph Rodrigues Jr. by two votes, 34-32.

For three four-year term nominations on the council, there were no contests, as three Republicans and one Democrat ran unopposed. The Republicans are Pamela J. Leiby, who received 67 complimentary votes; Ravert, 55; and Norman A. Engle Jr., 52. The one Democrat seeking a nomination was Kara Scott, who collected 38 token votes. There were 11 Democratic write-in votes that will need to be reviewed to determine if there is another Democratic candidate.

Meanwhile, Mayor Zachary Snyder, a Republican, was unopposed in pursuit of the nomination for a two-year term. He collected 69 token votes.

Towamensing Township

There were no races in Towamensing, where the voters are expected to elect two supervisors this year, one for a six-year term and one for a two-year term. They are also slated to elect an auditor for a six-year term.

In the race for the six-year term for supervisor, the lone candidate was Democrat Michael S. George, who received 125 token votes. For the two-year term, Democrat William Acierno received 123 token votes. There were 82 Republican write-in votes for the nomination opposite George and 50 GOP write-in votes for the two-year term nomination.

Twenty-four write-in votes were also received for the auditor’s position.

The write-in votes will be reviewed by the county’s election board to determine if anyone wins a nomination for the respective positions.