Lorraine Dolan wins Democratic nomination for Erie County Council 7th District seat
A write-in candidate on the May 16 primary election ballot has won the Democratic nomination for a seat on Erie County Council.
Lorraine Dolan, a Fairview Township resident, received a total of 45 votes in the primary election: 29 on Election Day and 16 from mail-in ballots. The votes were enough to earn her a spot on the Nov. 7 general election ballot where she will face Republican incumbent Ellen Schauerman, who represents the 7th district.
Dolan, who said she was happy about the opportunity, said she volunteered her name as a write-in candidate when she realized Schauerman had no Democratic challenger in the fall.
"I was reading the paper and I had a moment where I said 'You know, we only have one person running in this race' and voters really need options,'" Dolan said. "I think there should always be good representation, so I decided to offer my name."
When a political party has no official candidate in a primary election race, the write-in candidate who earns the most votes — and garners at least 10 votes in the case of Erie County Council — wins the party's nomination.
Dolan was the only Democratic write-in candidate to exceed 10 votes in the primary election.
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Dolan, 65, a Penn State graduate who studied individual and family studies and infancy and early childhood development, works as a teacher's assistant and volunteer at Lakewood Methodist Preschool, at 3856 W 10th St. in Erie.
Dolan also worked for nearly a decade with the League of Women Voters of Erie County, serving as president for two years and coordinating the chapter's centennial commemoration of a woman's right to vote. She also served on the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania for six months.
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Dolan, who's married with an adult son, said she and her family have always valued service and volunteerism, and that she looks forward to engaging with residents of the 7th district as her campaign begins.
"I'd be very happy to win this seat, and I can tell you I would be a very hardworking county councilwoman because that's what I do," she said. "When I become involved in something it's 'all the way' and doing the job right to the best of my ability."
Dolan's campaign page can be accessed at: facebook.com/lkdolan57.
The 7th District encompasses the southwest portion of the county and includes Conneaut, Springfield, Girard, Elk Creek, Fairview and McKean townships and Albion, Cranesville, Platea, Girard, Lake City and McKean boroughs.
Schauerman, who serves as council finance chairperson, is seeking a second term.
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Lorraine Dolan wins Democratic nomination for Erie County Council
