2019 general election: Three Lehighton area townships settle supervisors’ races

In three townships in the Lehighton area, East Penn, Franklin and Mahoning — seats on their respective boards of supervisors were decided in Tuesday’s general election.

In East Penn, the voters gave incumbent Gary P. Kuehner, a Republican, an overwhelming win over Democrat Dennis L. Pearson in the race for a six-year term on the board. The count was 460 to 216.

There was also a four-year term up for grabs, although there were no candidates for the position. Sixty write-in votes in that balloting will have to be reviewed by the county’s board of elections to determine the winner of that seat.

The township voters were also scheduled to fill two terms on the East Penn Board of Auditors, although there were no candidates on the ballot. There were five write-in votes for the six-year term and four write-in votes for the four-year term that will determine a winner in each seat.

In Franklin, Republican Robin D. Cressley was a huge winner over Democrat Jody Neifert for the six-year term on the board of supervisors. Cressley tallied 759 votes while Neifert had 405.

There were no candidates on the ballot for the six-year term on the Franklin board of auditors, but 81 write-in votes were recorded for the position with a winner to be declared in the upcoming canvass by the county board of elections.

The Mahoning Township voters filled two seats on the township’s board of supervisors, including one in which incumbent Robert Slaw, a Republican, was unopposed. He received 808 token votes in that balloting.

Meanwhile, Republican David W. Pollock won a two-year term, defeating Democrat Newvin M. Frey by a tally of 625 to 386.

No one ran in Mahoning for the six-year term on the board of auditors, although there were 12 write-in votes that will need to be reviewed to determine a winner.