Published: November 05, 2005 11:35 pm            

Voters head to polls Tuesday

Election watchers across the region are bracing for what may be one of the lowest voter turnouts in recent years Tuesday, despite predictions that the weather will cooperate.

Voter response to this off-year election could dip as low as 20 percent, predicts Robert A. Gleason Jr., chairman of the Cambria County Republican Party.

Gleason sees the only real races of interest in Johnstown, where the office of mayor and a number of council seats are up for grabs.

“I think there is very little interest this year in Cambria County,” Gleason said.

“There are really no significant contests except in the City of Johnstown.”

But Democratic Party Chairman Bill Joseph is hoping the turnout will be higher than 40 percent – a possibility if people realize this election is vital because the winners have a direct impact on daily lives.

“People think this is an off year,” Joseph said, “but you’ve got a very important election with mayors, township supervisors, borough councils and school boards elected.”

A big key to turnout in largely Democratic Cambria County may be the weather forecast.

“That’s one thing in the Democrats’ favor,” Joseph said.

“Republicans go out to the polls in the rain, snow, anything, but not the Democrats.”

Fred Smith, director of the Cambria County election office, also is looking for a 40 percent turnout, but he predicts the results may be a little slower than usual because of the high number of write-in votes to be counted.

Despite two judgeship races in Somerset County, the turnout will be low, predicted Tina Pritz, director of elections.

“Everything is so quiet here. I think the turnout will be low, maybe 30 percent,” Pritz said.

A countywide race for register of wills and recorder of deeds is generating some interest in Bedford County, but Peg Koenig, director of elections, is estimating the turnout will range between 28 percent and 30 percent of voters able to cast a ballot.

“There’s really only one race,” she said.

“But there are pockets of interest in municipal races.”

Some people contacted at random throughout the region said they will vote nonetheless.

“I’m planning on being there,” Patricia Leverknight said from her Boswell-area home.

Brenda Guzic of Cresson Township said she will get out to vote regardless of what the weatherman has to offer.

“The polling place is just right up the road from me,” Guzic said.

Martha Crissey of Johnstown is so used to going to the polls that it would feel unusual to not show up on Election Day.

“I worked on an election board for 30 years in Richland Township. I think it’s my responsibility,” Crissey said.

Sally Croyle of Bedford has been voting for at least 40 years, and she has no plans to change her habits.

“It is so important to us that we changed our vacation plans. We were to leave the day before the election and we put it off by a week,” Croyle said.

But election officials are concerned that a growing number of people have the attitude of Beverly Haynes of Benshoff Hill Road.

“I don’t vote. I never registered,” Haynes said. “I just moved from California and I didn’t vote there.”

Following is a look at some of the offices up for grabs:

Cambria County

The City of Johnstown has contested races for mayor and City Council.

Longtime Republican Mayor Don Zucco is being challenged by Guy T. Anthony, a member of the Green Party who won the Democratic nomination in a sticker campaign.

Two Republicans – Ann Wilson and Samuel Genovese – hope to win two of the four four-year terms on City Council while incumbent Councilmen Jack Williams, Nunzio Johncola and William Neatrour are seeking new terms.

Appointed Councilman Albert Reynolds is running for a full term.

Also up for grabs is one two-year seat on council with Republican Michael Shuman and Democrat William Gentile in the running.

Also in the running will be incumbent Benny Britt.

He lost his bid for a four-year nomination in the spring primary election but is launching a sticker campaign for the seat being sought by Shuman and Gentile.

At the county level, President Judge Gerard Long is running for retention and District Attorney David Tulowitzki is running on both ballots for the seat vacated by retiring Judge Thomas Swope.

At the lower judicial level, two incumbent district judges are running unopposed. They are John Barron of Upper Yoder Township and Fred Creany of Ebensburg.

Rick Varner of Adams Township, who in September received his certification from the Minor Judicial Education Board, is the nominee for the Republican and Democratic parties to fill a district judge vacancy in the Sidman area.

Incumbent Sheriff Bob Kolar, Democratic Jury Commissioner Thomas Chernisky and Republican Jury Commissioner Richard Speicher have no opposition.

Somerset County

The county judicial races are expected to draw voters in Somerset County, where there is a three-way race for two 10-year terms.

In the running are Greg Geary, holder of both a Republican and Democratic nomination; David C. Klementik, a Democratic nominee; and Jerry L. Spangler, a Republican nominee.

Incumbent Coroner Wallace Miller, a Republican, will face off against Democrat John Stock.

Running unopposed are three incumbent county office holders: Treasurer Donna Matsko Schmitt; Prothonotary Angie Svonavec; and Democratic Jury Commissioner Sandra J. Miller.

Alice J. Musser is the unopposed nominee for Republican jury commissioner.

Three incumbent district judges should sail to victory. Unopposed are Arthur Cook of Somerset, Sandra Stevanus of Confluence and Douglas McCall Bell of Meyersdale.

Susan Mankamyer holds both the Democratic and Republican nominations for district judge in the Boswell area.

Bedford County

The dual office of register of wills and recorder of deeds is on the line with incumbent Democrat Faith Zembower facing a challenge from Republican Dorothy Vensel.

Bedford County Judge Daniel Howsare is running for retention election and the two incumbent jury commissioners – Democrat Edith Weyant and Republican Ruth Clark – are unopposed.

Statewide

Two state Supreme Court justices – Sandra Schultz Newman and Russell M. Nigro – are on the ballot for retention.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.