Crowded field for commissioners, school board races

Mar. 9—The May 16 primary election will feature five Republicans and one Democrat vying for Crawford County commissioner, along with five other countywide offices on the ballot.

School board races in both Crawford Central and PENNCREST districts are crowded as well with more than 15 candidates in each district seeking nominations.

In addition, there will be municipal races throughout the county as voters choose nominees for their local city, borough or township governments.

Listed below are the candidates who filed for countywide offices; Crawford Central, PENNCREST or Conneaut school boards; or Meadville City Council in the May primary.

However, the list is not final as objections to a candidate's petition may be filed with the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas by Tuesday. Additionally, candidates who have filed nomination petitions have until March 22 to withdraw their candidacy if they choose.

The three seats on the Crawford County Board of Commissioners are up for election this year.

At least two new commissioners will be elected this year as Commissioners Francis Weiderspahn Jr., a Republican, and Christopher Soff, a Democrat, have not sought reelection. Weiderspahn is completing a third term while Soff is completing a second term.

Republican and Democratic voters in the county will select two nominees in the primary.

The primary winners will face each other in the Nov. 7 general election with the top three finishers then serving as the board.

On the Republican side, Eric Henry of West Mead Township, a businessman and current chairman of the commissioners, is seeking a second term. Also running for one of the two Republican nominations are Scott Schell of Cochranton, the current county coroner who is not seeking reelection to that job; Brenda Braden of Summerhill Township, a township secretary; Roger Schlosser of West Mead Township, a retired businessman; and Todd Siple of Woodcock Township, who is in the maintenance department of the county.

Christopher Seeley of Linesville is the only Democratic Party candidate to file for commissioner. He currently is a county auditor, but is not seeking reelection to that post.

Among other countywide offices, there are races in the Republican primary for coroner, prothonotary and auditor.

For coroner, Eric Coston of East Mead Township, a physician assistant; Toni Longo of Summerhill Township, a office specialist; and Aimee C. Spitzer of Conneaut Lake, a funeral director, are running for the Republican nomination. There is no Democratic Party candidate on the primary ballot.

For prothonotary, Emmy Arnett of Greenwood Township, a Republican and the incumbent auditor, is seeking a fifth term. She is being challenged for the Republican nomination by Roan Hunter, a toolmaker from Meadville. There is no Democratic Party candidate on the ballot.

For auditor, voters from both the Democratic and Republican parties will choose two nominees in the primary. Then the top three finishers in November will serve as the board of auditors.

There are four Republicans seeking the two auditor nominations of that party while there is only one Democrat who filed for that party's nomination.

There will be at least two new auditors as Kathy Roae, a Republican, and Seeley, a Democrat, are not seeking reelection.

Kelsey Zimmerman of Randolph Township, a Republican who was appointed in April 2022 to fill a vacancy on the board, is seeking election to a full four-year term. Also seeking the Republican nomination are Stacey Holzer of Centerville, a tax collector and bookkeeper; Renee Kiser of Saegertown, a fiscal assistant in the county treasurer's office; and Josh Manuel, a dispatcher with the county's 911 center.

Darien Pfaff of Summit Township, a bank teller, is the only Democrat to file for auditor.

There are several uncontested races in the primary — district attorney, register and recorder, and sheriff.

For district attorney, Paula DiGiacomo of Meadville, a Republican and the incumbent DA, is seeking election to a full four-year term. DiGiacomo, who was first assistant district attorney, was appointed the county district attorney in January 2022, succeeding Francis Schultz, who had been elected a county judge. No Democratic Party candidate filed for district attorney.

For register and recorder, Beth M. Forbes of Union Township, a Republican and the incumbent, is unopposed for the Republican nomination for a second term. No Democratic Party candidate filed for register and recorder.

For sheriff, David Powers of Hayfield Township, a Republican and the incumbent, is unopposed for the Republican nomination for a second term. No Democratic Party candidate filed for sheriff.

Meadville City Council has two seats up for election with only two Democrats and two Republicans seeking the two nominations from each party. On the Democratic ballot, Autumn Vogel, an incumbent and a cooperative development coordinator, and Larry McKnight, an incumbent and a truck/bus driver, each are seeking a second term. On the Republican ballot, Marcy Kantz, a business owner who ran as a write-in for Meadville mayor in 2021, and Bill Lawrence, a business owner, the only two candidates who filed.

Among area school districts, there are crowded races in both Crawford Central and PENNCREST.

In school district races, candidates may crossfile for the nomination of both parties.

In Crawford Central, each party has nominations for five seats for four-year terms on the ballot and one two-year term on the ballot.

There are 13 candidates who have crossfiled for both party nominations for a four-year term: Dave Biggs, Michael Cain, Ed DeVore, Monica Hargenrater, Shana Hogsdon, Ron Irwin, Wallace Mason II, Kevin G. Merritt, Bryan J. Miller, Bonnie Murphy, Jeff Rose, Delwood J. Smith and Lisa Whitenack. Merritt, Miller, Rose and Smith are incumbents.

Two other candidates, Benjamin Bargar and Robert Conley, only filed for Democratic nominations.

There are two candidates for Crawford Central's two-year term: Melissa Burnett, an incumbent, and Tammy Silvis. Both have crossfiled.

In PENNCREST, each party has nominations for five four-year terms and two two-year terms on the ballot.

There are 12 candidates who have crossfiled for both party nominations for a four-year term: Allison Beers, Ryan Benek, Michael Chausee, Brian E. Custard, Tiffany Donor, Nerissa Galt, David McWright, James W. Rankin, Eli Skelton, Scott Stallings, Ryan Styborski and Amber Tyson Wright. Chausse and Tyson Wright are incumbent board members.

One other candidate, Alan Hornstein only filed for the Republican nomination.

There are three candidates for PENNCREST's two two-year terms: Tim Brown, Luigi DeFrancesco and David Valesky. All three are incumbent board members and have crossfiled.

In Conneaut, board members are elected from one of three regions.

There are only two candidates seeking nomination to the two four-year terms in Region I — Tim McQuiston, an incumbent, has crossfiled for both the Democratic and Republican nominations, while David Schaef has only filed for a Republican nomination.

In Region 2, there are only two candidates for the lone four-year term — Travis Crytzer and Edward Williamson and both have crossfiled.

In Region 3, there are three candidates vying for two four-year nominations — G.W. Hall, an incumbent, and Steven E. Nadar have crossfiled, while Brooke Leuthold has only filed for a Republican nomination.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.