Carbon must break ties in 45 races

Write-in votes for Democratic and Republican committee men and women positions have created a dilemma for the Carbon County Board of Elections with respect to determining winners in those races.

That’s because 122 people received one official vote each in the various races, the result of which is ties need to be broken to determine 45 winners in the primary election.

The election board has set noon Friday as the time and date when the ties will be broken to determine winners. Recipients of the “correct” votes are invited to participate in the process, which includes placing numbered tiles in a box and a tile being pulled for each candidate to determine the finish position. The event will take place in the commissioners’ conference room in the Courthouse Annex, Jim Thorpe.

This includes 12 races for Democratic committee men and women positions, where 30 people received one “correct” vote each, and 33 races for Republican committee men and women positions, where an unprecedented 92 people tallied one “correct’ vote each.

Election officials have placed emphasis on the “correct” vote term, noting that numerous other people received write-in votes, but they were wrongly done. For instance, a voter wrote in the name of a woman for the committee man’s position, or a Republican voter wrote in a Democrat for a position. In those unique situations, the vote recipient does not receive the vote due to its improper form.

The party bylaws of the two major parties differ with respect to electing committee men and women. The Democrats elect one man and one woman in each of the 51 election districts. The Republicans, meanwhile, elect committee men and women on an at-large-by-municipality basis, meaning a designated number of positions are filled in each borough or township.

Here is a look at the ties that need to be broken by the election board:

Democrats

Franklin Township, Harrity District: Chuck Llewellyn, Terry Whiteman and Thomas Zellner are tied for the committee man post, and Erin Hill and Nancy Llewellyn are tied for the committee woman spot.

Jim Thorpe, Second Ward: Gerald Kmetz and Robert Schaninger are tied for the committee man spot.

Lehighton, Second Ward: Joseph Flickinger and Richard Everett Jr. are tied for the committee man position.

Mahoning Township, Mahoning District: Dominic Palumbo, Frank Ruch, James Whitehead and John Wieczorek are tied for the committee man position; and Packerton/Jamestown District — Laura Carr and Rachael Gullone are tied for the committee woman post.

Nesquehoning, East District: Anthony DeMarco, Joseph Roman Jr. and Michael Hall are tied for the committee man post.

Palmerton, East District: Jason Gray, Jason Reinhardt, Mark Strohl and Peter Iles are tied for the committee man position.

Palmerton, West District: Randy Gursky and Stuart Henritzy are tied for the committee man post.

Penn Forest Township, Southwest District: John Phillips and Paul Montemuro are tied for the committee man position and Evy Jordan and June Gaudreau are tied for the committee woman post.

Towamensing Township, South District: Brad Landis and Michael George are tied for the committee man position.

Republicans

Beaver Meadows: Brian Katchur, Cynthia Walasavage, James Leonard and Kevin Hines are tied for one committee position.

East Penn Township: Craig Fenoff, Emily Mantz, Ernest Miller, Gerald Funk, John Strockoz, Judy Mantz, Robert Kleintop Jr., Stephanie Miller and William Schwab are tied for one committee position.

Jim Thorpe: Ammon Hontz, Andrew S. Yurchak, Barbara Marra Brosius, Brittany Thompson, Diane Luedtke, Donald Reese, Frank O. Flizack, Gregory Mousseau, Ivan Meixell, James McHugh, Jennifer Boger, Norman Boger, Keith T. McQuait, Tom P. Kattner, Tim Popek, Toni L. Mowery, Walter O’Donnell, Timothy Benyo and Shawn Skrimcovsky are tied for six committee positions.

Kidder Township, North District: Rochelle Miller and Susan Eckart are tied for one committee position.

Lansford: Douglas C. Knauss Sr., Irma Leibensperger, Mark Davalos, Renee Slakoper and Renee Westgate are tied for one committee post.

Lehigh Township: Earl Hoffman and Floyd Hoffman are tied for one committee position.

Nesquehoning: Angelo Lauletta, Coleman Fox, Robert V. Strauss, Tom Ouly and George Sabol are tied for two committee positions.

Packer Township: Gerard Gerga and Jan Grover are tied for one committee post.

Palmerton: Brian K. Wanamaker, Christian Stepien, David Nothstein, Harold Schisler, John Schtermann and Seth Shumaker are tied for one committee position.

Penn Forest Township: Adam Dean, Arthur Csaszar, Catherine P. Cintron, Christian Bartulovich, Clark Smith, Cynthia Henning, George Albert, Gerald Dotter, Gregory Magill, Kenneth Bond, Rich Flacco, Robert Salerno, Rustin Paul, Thomas Stojinski and William Miller are tied for 12 committee positions.

Summit Hill: Ruth Gardiner and Susan Anderson are tied for one committee position.

Towamensing Township: Donald T. Dinaro, George Huber, Jason Holden, Pamela Snyder, Ricky Waibel, Scott Brown, Steven H. Armbruster, Dennis Hendrick, Tina Hendrick, Robert Ziegenfus, Kenneth Hummel, Richard Haas, Ryan Haas and Linda Hummel are tied for three committee positions.

Weatherly: Glenn K. Baker, Jeff Miller, Leslie Moyer, Norman Richie, Paula L. Thomas, Sean M. Perkins and Vince Cuddeford are tied for two committee posts.