Published: November 04, 2009 10:04 pm      

Geistown Borough Council race too close to call

Fewer than 50 votes separate leader, trailer in 6-way contest

GEISTOWN — Incumbent Geistown Borough Council members Frank Hauser, a Democrat, and B. Paul Seitz, a Republican, are trailing in a tight six-way race for four seats.

Fewer than 50 votes separate first place from last, making it likely that announcement of the winners will have to wait until absentee ballots are tabulated Friday.

First-time candidate Bruce L. Becker, a Democrat, apparently leads the field with 352 votes, followed by incumbent Democrat Tom Morisi with 339.

“What I really want to do is represent the people of Geistown and help the current government manage the financial situation,” said Becker, a longtime community activist.

Only 16 votes separate the apparent fourth- through sixth-place finishers.

Incumbent Republican Robert Servacek and the borough’s emergency coordinator, Joseph Matthew Sernell, a Republican, finished in a dead heat with 320 votes.

That leaves Hauser and Seitz hoping for enough absentee votes to boost them into a seat. Seitz trails the field by 10 votes, with 310, followed by Hauser with 304.

Both apparent losers were pragmatic about the results.

“I think it comes down to a lot of name recognition and popularity,” Seitz said. “If I lose, I’ll run very hard in two years. I am not going to quit.”

“People don’t judge by the qualifications, but if (the candidates) are their friends,” Hauser said.

Even apparent winner Sernell, 25, did not see the election as a mandate. It was about personal connections, he said.

“I am not sure they were looking for change,” Sernell said. “I got out and talked to people. I feel good about how much I was talking to the voters about things I feel are important.”