Primary election sees fair turnout by Elk County voters
ST. MARYS - Elk County voters took to the polls on Tuesday as part of the 2022 General Primary Election.
A total of 7,334 ballots were cast in Elk County. Voter turnout was 36% of the county’s 20,084 registered voters.
Among the top Democratic vote getters in Elk County were John Fetterman for U.S. Senate, Josh Shapiro for governor and Austin Davis for Lieutenant Governor.
Among the top Republican vote getters in Elk County were David McCormick for U.S. Senate, Douglas Mastriano for governor and Carrie Delrosso for Lieutenant Governor.
U.S. Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson ran unopposed as representative of the 15th
District while State Representative Mike Armanini ran unopposed for the 75th District.
Locally three individuals ran unopposed including Ryan Grimm for the Democratic State Committee, Marcie Lynn Assetta for the Republican State Committee and Sally Geyer for Elk County Republican Chairperson.
Republican U.S. Senator candidates included Kathy Barnette, Dr. Mehmet Oz, George Bochetto, Jeffrey Bartos, David McCormick, Sean Gale and Carla Sands.
Democratic U.S. Senator candidates included Alexandria Khalil, Conor Lamb, Malcolm Kenyatta and John Fetterman.
Republican governor candidates included Louis Barletta, Douglas Mastriano, Nche Zama, David White,
Melissa Hart , William McSwain, Charlie Gerow, Joe Gale and Jake Corman.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joshua Shapiro ran unopposed.
Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidates included Austin Davis, Ray Sosa and Brian Sims.
Republican Lieutenant Governor included
Clarice Schillinger, James Jones, Richard Saccone, John Brown, Christopher Frye Jr., Jeffrey Coleman, Russell Diamond, Carrie Delrosso and Theodore Daniels.
Primaries test the future direction of the Republican Party. Among the most closely watched races in the Keystone State was the
GOP Senate contest with candidates Dr. Mehmet Oz, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, David McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, and Kathy Barnette, who has also garnered favor from Trump supporters and who could become the first Black Republican woman elected to the Senate.
These candidates will fill the seat of longtime Sen. Pat Toomey, who plans to retire.
On the Democratic ticket Lt. Gov. John Fetterman vied for the Senate seat with his closest challenger likely to be U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb. Fetterman easily secured the victory.
There have been challenges encountered late in the campaign by Democratic candidates including medical setbacks for Lt. Gov. John Fetterman who suffered a recent stroke and a COVID-19 diagnosis for Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who is running unopposed as the lone Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Fetterman underwent pacemaker surgery on primary day during which time President Pro Tempore of the Senate Jake Corman has temporarily assumed duties of acting lieutenant governor.
Primary voting totals may be delayed due to mail ballot issues encountered in Lancaster County. Officials reported on Tuesday that many mail ballots would not scan properly because they contained the incorrect identification code. Lancaster County faced this same issue in the 2021 primary election from a different mail vendor which they later fired.