Despite sunny if hot weather, elections officials in local counties reported low voter participation today in a primary election short on heated nomination battles.
“Turnout is slow here in Pike,” county elections director Nadeen Manzoni said.
“Slow overall,” said Forrest Lehman, who runs Lycoming County’s voter registration and election office.
COVERAGE IN CONTEXT
● WVIA: Unusual primary election features challenges to three incumbent state legislators
● WVIA: Williamsport voters will be asked to approve home rule study commission
● WVIA: Polls are open; what you need to know today
● LEHIGH VALLEY NEWS: Race roundup including 7th Congressional
● ASSOCIATED PRESS: What to expect in Pennsylvania’s primaries
“Turnout is too early to tell but nothing heavy reported,” Luzerne County elections director Emily Cook said.
Statewide, turnout is also low, said Matt Beynon, a political consultant to several candidates on the ballot, including state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Luzerne.
“But that is expected,” Beynon said.
Lackawanna County elections director Beth Hopkins, who reported “very low voter turnout,” said voters didn’t encounter long lines as they sometimes do early on presidential election days.
No major voting issues
The election directors reached by WVIA News reported no major issues or glitches at polling places.
“Just the usual, people calling, saying one of the poll workers isn't there yet, but they usually arrive within like five minutes,” Hopkins said. “Very normal calls on election morning, nothing out of the ordinary.”
Cook, whose county has experienced repeated Election Day troubles in the last decade, reported “nothing major.”
“So far so good,” she said.
Last-minute mail-in ballots
Hopkins reminded mail-in ballot voters who haven’t mailed them yet that they must bring ballots to their county election bureaus today or go to a polling place. At a polling place, an election worker will invalidate the mail-in ballot and issue a regular ballot.
Mailing ballots today means they won’t reach the bureaus in time to count.
They only count if elections officials have them in hand by 8 tonight.
Contested races in focus
Baker, who represents the 20th Senate District, is in one of the few sharply contested races Republican voters are deciding on today. The five-term legislator from Lehman Twp. faces a stiff challenge from Tyler Meyers, a behavioral specialist consultant who lives in Sugar Notch in Luzerne.
The winner Tuesday will face Jackie Baker, who lives in Liberty Twp., Susquehanna County. She’s not related to the senator, who easily defeated her four years ago. She is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
The district covers all of Pike, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties and parts of Luzerne and Wayne counties.
The 20th Senate race is one of five contested that include at least part of Luzerne County. The others pit:
● State Sen. Marty Flynn, a resident of Dunmore, Lackawanna County, against public school special education aide Jeffrey Lake, of Clarks Summit, Lackawanna for the Democratic nomination to the 22nd Senate District.
The winner will face Sharon Soltis Sparano, a resident of LaPlume Twp., Lackawanna County, and a former Throop council president. She is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
The district covers parts of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, including Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Pittston.
● State Rep. Jamie Walsh, of Ross Twp., Luzerne, against Bill Jones, of Dorrance Twp., Luzerne, the former leader of the United Way of Wyoming Valley, for the Republican nomination to the state 117th House District that Walsh represents.
The winner will face Jeremy Benscoter, a Democrat who lives in Hunlock Twp., Luzerne. He is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
The district covers most of the townships and boroughs in eastern Luzerne County.
● Wilkes-Barre City Council President Jessica McClay against former city emergency medical technician Michael Stadulis for the Democratic nomination to state 121st House District. State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, a Democrat, is retiring.
The winner will face Republican Michael D. Harostock III, who lives in Bear Creek Village, Luzerne. He is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
The district covers all the Wilkes-Barre Area School District municipalities, except for Laflin.
● Fern Leard, of Dallas Twp., Luzerne, faces Luzerne County Councilwoman Joanna Bryn Smith, of Wyoming, for the Democratic nomination to the state 120th House District seat. The winner will face Brenda Pugh, a Republican and the current representative who lives in Dallas Twp. She is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
In the only other contested state legislative race across the region, the state 114th House District, the Republican nomination race has Logan Lombardo, of Clarks Summit, squaring off against Scranton resident David Burgerhoff.
Incumbent Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, of Waverly, Lackawanna, is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
7th Congressional District race
The other major contested race in the region is for the Democratic nomination to the 7th Congressional District seat. The district includes all of Carbon and Northampton counties and parts of Monroe and Lehigh counties.
Four Democrats want to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie in what will likely become one of the hottest congressional races in the country. They are Bob Brooks, Carol Obando-Derstine, Ryan Croswell and Lamont McClure. Mackenzie is unopposed for the Republican nomination.
8th Congressional, Pa. gubernatorial
Voters are also choosing nominees for Congress and governor today.
In the 8th Congressional District race, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a Dallas Twp. Republican, are unopposed for their parties' nominations.
The primary will confirm them as the nominees in what's expected to become one of the hottest House races in the country. The 8th District consists of all of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties; roughly the eastern half of Luzerne County, including Wilkes-Barre, Pittston and Hazleton; and all of Monroe County, except for Polk and Eldred townships and part of Ross Township.
For governor, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat from Montgomery County believed to have aspirations to run for president, is seeking a second four-year term against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, of Bradford County.
Stay connected with WVIA News throughout the day
● We'll be checking in with voters and elections officials during the day to see how things are progressing at polling stations.
● We'll also be broadcasting live on All Things Considered starting at 4 p.m. with the latest updates from around the region. Host Haley O'Brien will be speaking with reporters about what they're hearing and observing. You can listen on the air or using the feed on our website.
● And check back with us after the polls close as WVIA News will bring you coverage of key races across the region.
