Contested local races take spotlight at polls in northern Schuylkill
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Calvin Briggs, left, and Joe Boris sit outside the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society, one of Shenandoah's six polling places, on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023.
SHENANDOAH – While turnout ranged from “slow” in some parts of town to a line out the door in East Union Township, one thing was certain at the polls Tuesday: if a local race was contested, it had the spotlight.
Several local municipalities saw more people vying for spots on borough council or township supervisors than there were seats, including Shenandoah, which had the most crowded field in Schuylkill County.
Three Republicans — two newcomers and an appointed incumbent — and three Democrats — two elected incumbents and an appointed incumbent — were on voters ballots in the borough and most sought to sway voters at the precinct.
All candidates were at the polls for most of the day, with the exception of John “J.T.” Thomas, an elected incumbent who resigned from council earlier in the year due to family and work commitments. He would likely decline the seat if elected.
At the Schuylkill Historical Fire Society, appointed Republican incumbent Joe Boris said the precinct had been “very active.”
Around 4:00pm, he said there had been at least 130 voters, under half of the primary election turnout but with the post-work rush yet to come.
Calvin Briggs, campaigning there for the Democrats, said the precinct is Shenandoah’s largest.
Regarding the outlook for the race, Boris, who is running alongside Mike Zeckie Uholik and Joe Gawrylik, said “it’s going to be interesting.”
Gawrylik, a Republican newcomer, spent the day at the Columbia firehouse on West Centre Street along with William Selbi, a Democrat incumbent.
Uholik, a Republican newcomer, and ex-mayor Michael Whitecavage, an appointed Democrat incumbent, were at the Magisterial District Court on East Oak Street, where Whitecavage said turnout had been “slow.”
In Frackville, four candidates are on the ballot for three seats: Democrat Jim Lavelle and Republicans Ron Jordan, Charles Berger, and Brian Russell. Jordan and Berger are incumbents and running as a team with Lavelle, according to their signage.
Russell and write-in challenger Tylor Blackwell spent much of the day at the borough’s two precincts, with the former saying he is running on the basis of bringing transparency to the borough and stopping apparent council overspending.
Blackwell is vying to be the first write-in winner in recent memory and the youngest councilmember, telling the Sentinel he initially planned to run in two years but was convinced to mount a write-in campaign this year.
In East Union Township, a line stretched out the door of the township building in Sheppton around 6:30pm.
Bill Burke, the Republican candidate for county common pleas judge, said he’d spent much of the day there and was impressed by the turnout in the township.
“I think its great for democracy,” Burke told the Sentinel, citing the township supervisors race as the believed cause. “It seems to be of intense interest here.”
Longtime Democrat incumbent Jon Dettery is seeking his fourth term on the board of supervisors, facing Republican challenger Wendy Danchision, and both were working the polls Tuesday evening.
“It’s a great turnout,” Danchision said. “There’s a lot of people that showed up today that shows that people want change. People want something different, which is exciting.”
Dettery said he hopes his record will stand for itself.
“The reason why I’m here 18 years is for the people,” Dettery said. “To make East Union Township a great place to live.”
Elsewhere in the Ringtown Valley, two people are seeking a seat on Union Township’s board of supervisors to replace the retiring Darrell Laudeman.
Robin Hetherington, supporting her husband, county commissioners’ candidate Barron “Boots” Hetherington, said turnout had been strong in the township.
She said that voters in the valley tend to be more in tune with local politics.
Democrat Donald J. White and Republican Jeremy Rhoads both were working the polls into the nighttime hours.
Rhoads cited the weather as potentially benefiting voter turnout, and White said he was “feeling good” about the election.
For countywide races, Linda Yeich, the incumbent Republican candidate for treasurer, spent time at the Frackville Goodwill Fire Co.
“I think the overall feeling is good today,” Yeich said. “I think we’ve seen a higher number of people turning out for an off-year election, but I wouldn’t say it was a heavy turnout.”
“It shows that people care and people want to have their voice heard,” Yeich added.
In the commissioners race, Barron “Boots” Hetherington briefly stopped by the Frackville Senior Citizens building to campaign before moving on to the Tri-Valley area.
Uholik and Boris both asked voters to write-in Mary Jo Moss for commissioner at the polls, as well.
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