2019 primary election: All five Carbon school districts have contests for board seats

Each of the five school districts that involve Carbon County’s 23 municipalities will elect five school directors for four-year terms in 2019. They are Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, Palmerton, Weatherly and Panther Valley, the latter which also has two two-year terms to be filled by the electorate.

In all of the districts, except Panther Valley, there will be primary election contests on May 21, which will be followed by the general election on Nov. 5.

Here’s what voters in the respective districts will face when they go to cast their ballot:

Jim Thorpe

Nine people are seeking the five nominations on both the Democratic and Republican sides. All cross-filed, meaning their names will appear on both ballots.

They are: John P. Ciavarella Jr., Albrightsville; Pearl Downs-Sheckler, Jim Thorpe; Richard Flacco, Jim Thorpe; T.J. Garritano, Jim Thorpe; Cindy Lesisko Henning, Albrightsville; Paul Montemuro, Jim Thorpe; Scott R. Pompa, Jim Thorpe; Wilmer P. Redline Jr., Jim Thorpe; and Robert C. Schaninger, Jim Thorpe.

Lehighton

Eleven people are aspiring to win the five nomination in each party in the Lehighton district. Ten of them are cross-filed on both ballots while the 11th person’s name will appear on only the Democratic ticket.

The cross-filed candidates are Richard R. Beltz, Lehighton; Barbara A. Bowes, Lehighton; Nathan A. Foeller, Lehighton; Thomas “Tommy” McEvilly, Lehighton; Frank Ruch, Lehighton; Byron D. Schnell, Lehighton; Rita L. Spinelli, Lehighton; Larry E. Stern, Lehighton; Wayne W. Wentz, Lehighton; and Walter “Wally” Zlomsowitch, Lehighton.

Craig S. Bowman, Lehighton, is also running on the Democratic ticket.

Palmerton

A total of eight people are running for seats on the Palmerton board. They include five people who are cross-filed and seeking both Democratic and Republican nominations.

They include: Sherry A. Haas, Lehighton; Jeffrey D. Henry, Palmerton; Audrey L. Larvey, Palmerton; Brandon Mazepa, Palmerton; and Doris D. Zellers, Palmerton.

Running on the Democratic ticket is Josann Harry, Palmerton, while Republican candidates are Charles C. Gildner, Palmerton, and Tammy L. Recker, Palmerton.

Panther Valley

Five people are running for the five nominations for four-year terms on the Panther Valley School District Board of Education, while there will be a challenge in May between two candidates seeking the two-year term.

That race has Marco D’Ancona, Nesquehoning, and Steven Foster, Lansford, cross-filed. Only one nomination in each party will be won.

Meanwhile, five people appear on the Democratic ballot for the four-year terms that are available, and three of them are cross-filed on the Republican ticket.

The Democratic candidates are D’Ancona; Renee DeMelfi, Nesquehoning; Joseph J. Faenza, Coaldale; William J. Mansberry, Summit Hill; and Gary Porembo, Nesquehoning.

D’Ancona, Mansberry and Porembo also appear on the GOP slate.

Weatherly

Seven people are seeking to be elected to the Weatherly board, including six people who are on both tickets.

They include: Thomas Joseph Connors Jr., Weatherly; William Knepper, Weatherly; Nancy Mulvaney, Weatherly; Barbara Sipler, Weatherly; Matthew D. von Frisch, Weatherly; and April Walters, Weatherly.

The seventh candidate is Gerard E. Grega, Weatherly. He is running on the Republican ticket only.