Nothstein wins 6th term; Ahner, Lukasevich named commissioners

The voters have spoken and the Republican Party keeps the majority on the Carbon County Board of Commissioners.

After a glitch in the software in the new voting system, the results were recalculated overnight and the new board will consist of incumbent Wayne E. Nothstein, who was the top vote-getter with 7,114 votes; newcomer Chris Lukasevich, a Republican, who received 6,160 votes; and Democrat Rocky Ahner, who garnered 5,090 votes.

Democrat Robert Jacobs came in fourth with 4,847 votes, while Gerald Strubinger, who was not affiliated, received 1,123 votes.

A total of 2,804 write-in votes were also counted, but the official tally of who those votes were for has not been released by the county bureau of elections. Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, who lost in the primary, ran a write-in campaign to get reelected but was unsuccessful in his bid last night.

All votes are unofficial at this time. The official canvassing process to certify the votes begins Friday.

Nothstein celebrated his win with family and friends at the Boat Yard in Weissport Tuesday night.

“Hopefully, we will all be able to work together and have a common goal,” he said. “There’s got to be some give and take.”

With the win, Nothstein is one of the longer serving commissioners, set to begin his 21st year in January.

“I’m not trying to set a record or anything; I’m trying to do what’s best,” he said, adding that his goal is to continue “improving the quality of care for people in Carbon County.”

Lukasevich said in a statement this morning that he was grateful for the support he received during the election.

“My sincere thanks to all who supported the C4 (Chris 4 Carbon County Commissioner) Campaign,” he said. “We worked tirelessly to ensure residents could make an informed voting decision and select a board of commissioners that would place the interests of the people above politics and party.

“Congratulations to my fellow commissioners-elect, I look forward to working with Wayne and Rocky to bring the people’s voice back to the commissioners’ table.”

Ahner said he wants to help all the towns in Carbon County, and particularly senior citizens, when he takes office as commissioner.

During the campaign he pledged to add a grant writer position in the county government to help every municipality and older residents.

He said even though he will be the lone Democrat on the board, he will work together with his Republican colleagues, like his predecessor, retiring Commissioner Bill O’Gurek.

“I always work with everybody, and all three of us are gonna have to work together,” Ahner said.

The new board will be sworn in by the courts next year.

This will be Nothstein’s sixth term in office, while it will be the first term for both Lukasevich and Ahner.

Reporters Chris Reber and Terry Ahner contributed to this story.