Voters to choose nominees for judge, county commissioner
CHAMBERSBURG >> Election officials are forecasting a heavier than normal turnout on Tuesday when voters go to the polls.
The 130 local races on the municipal primary ballots offer some excitement:
— Incumbent Franklin County commissioners David Keller and Robert Thomas face a challenge on the GOP ticket from Travis Schooley, a veteran of two congressional campaigns. Two other Republicans plan write-in campaigns.
— Four men with law enforcement experience are running for the Republican nomination to be county sheriff.
— Jeffrey Conner — the 60-year-old, four-term county coroner — faces a challenge from Daniel Crist, a 33-year-old licensed funeral director who wants to make the office more accessible to the public.
— There are even contests for courthouse record-keeping positions — prothonotary and clerk of courts.
— The Democratic and Republican parties each will nominate a candidate for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Chambersburg attorney Todd Sponseller and Magisterial District Judge T. R. Williams have filed with both parties for their nominations. President Judge Douglas Herman is retiring.
Republicans and Democrats nominate candidates for public office in the primary election, but in many local races the municipal primary is the deciding election. Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-to-1 in Franklin County, so the general election in November is often a formality. Democrats also have not fielded candidates for any row office outside county commissioner.
All registered voters in Antrim Township can vote on the question: "Do you favor the granting of liquor licenses for the sale of liquor in the township?" The question however has not prompted more people to register to vote. In fact, the number of registered voters in the township has declined 4 percent since the 2014 general election.
Nine county row offices, two magisterial district judge positions and 121 municipal offices in school districts, boroughs and townships are up for grabs this spring. Voters also nominate candidates for state appellate courts.
The county's 75 polling places will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Registered voters in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Four years ago in the most recent municipal primary, 23 percent of registered voters went to the polls. Just 19 percent voted in 2007.
County Deputy Chief Clerk Jean Byers said a voter turnout of 28 to 30 percent is possible.
The current election offers more choices. Row offices are contested. School boards and municipalities have contested seats. Independents can help decide whether Antrim Township should go "wet" or stay "dry."
"You're getting a lot more candidates, more campaign signs and more people going door to door, which may bring more people out to vote," Byers said.
The Democrats have no local primary contests, outside school boards and judges where candidates cross-filed.
Sheri Morgan, chairwoman of the Franklin County Democratic Committee, has urged Democrats not to write in the names of Republicans on the ballot "to make it a safe place for registered Democrats to run for office."
Robert Ziobrowski, the Democratic county commissioner, and Shippensburg Mayor Bruce Hockersmith are the only two candidates for commissioner on the Democratic ballot. Voters will nominate two.
The Republican contest for county commissioner has another twist besides the challenge from Schooley, the Quincy Township project manager. Waynesboro Mayor Richard Starliper and Chambersburg council member Brad Elter plan write-in campaigns after getting too few signatures for their names to appear on the GOP ballot.
The four candidates for GOP nomination for sheriff are retired Chambersburg Police Department Sgt. Rob "Pete" Peterson, 49; Sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Stroble, 40; Sheriff's Sgt. Benjamin Sites, 26; and Franklin County Detective James Brown, 58.
Former state Rep. Todd Rock and Chris Ardinger, a member of the Tuscarora School Board, are vying for the Republican nomination for clerk of courts.
Three Republicans seek to become prothonotary — Timothy Sponseller, a lawyer with nearly 40 years' experience; Joan George Wagner, former first deputy prothonotary to her father John George; and William McLaughlin, a commercial Realtor who served 10 years as president of Chambersburg Borough Council.
Overseeing the election will be the Board of Elections — Owen Myers of Marion, Jerry Warnement of Letterkenny Township and James Zeger of Mercersburg.
For more information about the election call the Voter Registration Office at (717) 261-3886 or the Franklin County Election Board at (717) 261-3810. More election and voter registration information is available at http://www.franklincountypa.gov and http://www.votespa.com.
Jim Hook can be reached at 717-262-4759.