2019 primary election: ‘Lehighton hometown team’ wins on both ballots

A “fivesome” of candidates who labeled themselves members of the “Lehighton hometown team” left no doubt in Lehighton Area School Board matters in Tuesday’s primary election, overwhelmingly defeating five people who made up a group that aspired to overtake the current regime.

Incumbents Wayne W. Wentz, Larry L. Stern and Rita Spinelli blew away the field on both the Democratic and Republican tickets, sending a message to their opponents by near 2-1 ratios. The late Frank Ruch, who died in a car accident earlier this year, and newcomer Nathan R. Foeller won the fourth and fifth nominations on both ballots to effectively lay to rest who will control the board for the next four years.

In Ruch’s case, both parties will have the opportunity to fill his ballot positions in the fall.

Wentz easily soared past the challengers in being the top vote-getter on both slates, followed by Stern and Spinelli.

On the Democratic side, he collected 913 votes; Stern tallied 822; Spinelli, 813; Ruch, 770; and Foeller, 716.

Failing to win nominations were members of the challenging team who finished in sixth through 10th places. They included Byron D. Schnell, 341; Richard R. Beltz, 333; Barbara A. Bowes, 313; Walter Zlomsowitch, 270; and Thomas McEvilly, 226. An 11th candidate who was not endorsed by either side, Craig Bowman, finished with 186 votes.

On the Republican side, Wentz led the way with 1,250 votes, followed by Stern, 1,121; Spinelli, 1,067; Ruch, 1,048; and Foeller, 1,000.

Beltz was sixth with 759 votes; followed by Schnell, 641; Zlomsowitch, 626; Bowes, 601; and McEvilly, 571. Bowman was not a Republican candidate.