O'Malley tries political comeback as candidates file to run for elected offices

Mar. 10—Former Lackawanna County Commissioner Patrick O'Malley will attempt a political comeback by running for county register of wills.

O'Malley, a Scranton resident, who lost the 2019 Democratic commissioner primary election after two terms in the job, will face two-term incumbent Register of Wills Frances Kovaleski, also of Scranton, for the Democratic nomination to the post in the May 18 primary.

O'Malley's candidacy sets up a rare primary showdown between a challenger and an incumbent county row officer. The winner will take on April Jenkins of Glenburn Twp., who is unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Tuesday was the deadline for Democrats and Republicans to file nominating petitions to get on the primary ballot to decide the parties' nominations to elected public offices this year.

Third-party and independent candidates may begin circulating nominating papers today and must file the papers by Aug. 2.

The register of wills race won't be the only contested row office primary.

Former Scranton Police Chief David Elliott of Scranton and former county Deputy Sheriff Glenn Capman of Throop will square off for the Republican nomination for sheriff. The winner will face two-term incumbent Mark McAndrew of Mayfield, who will be unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Incumbent District Attorney Mark Powell of Moosic will have no opposition for the Democratic nomination as he seeks a second term.

Incumbent Recorder of Deeds Evie Rafalko McNulty of Scranton will have no Democratic opposition as she seeks a seventh term.

No Republican filed nomination petitions to run for recorder of deeds or district attorney. Row officers serve four-year terms.

Three attorneys filed to run for the Democratic and Republican nominations for county Court of Common Pleas Judge. They are Nisha Arora of Waverly Twp., general counsel for a real estate firm; Mary Walsh Dempsey of Scranton, a former city councilwoman; and Magisterial District Judge Paul Ware of Dunmore.

Judges are elected to 10-year terms.

Three incumbent magisterial district judges also filed to run for the Democratic and Republican nominations. They are Judge Alyce Hailstone Farrell, whose district consists of part of Scranton; Judge Paul Keeler, whose district encompasses the Abingtons; and Judge Sean McGraw, whose district covers the Carbondale Area.

All are unopposed for both nominations. Magisterial district judges are elected to six-year terms.

In Scranton, four people filed to run for mayor, the two Democrats and two Republicans. Incumbent Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti and City Controller John Murray will face each other for the Democratic nomination. Businessman Bob Bolus and Darwin Lee Shaw II, a minister, will seek the Republican nominations. Bolus' past felony convictions raise doubts about whether he could serve if elected.

Five Democrats filed to run for three city council nominations. They are incumbents Kyle T. Donahue, a consultant; Tom Schuster, a clinical supervisor; Heather Mecone, a certified nurse midwife; William F. King, the former Lakeland and Scranton school superintendent; and Charles Wasko, a drug and alcohol counselor.

Three Democrats filed to run for tax collector. They are Kevin Gallagher, a tax/mail clerk in the Single Tax Office, which the tax collector runs; John Opsasnick, an accountant and a former employee in the tax office; and Cathy Nealon Wechsler, manager of corporate, foundations and government relations for Lackawanna College.

No Republicans filed to run for council or tax collector.

The mayor, council members and tax collector are elected to four-year terms.

Seven people filed to run for nominations for four, four-year Scranton School Board seats. They are incumbent board members Katie Gilmartin, the school board president, and Sean McAndrew; Tom Borthwick; Danielle Chesek; Chris Gaidos; Tyrone Holmes; and Tucker J. Hottes. Borthwick, McAndrew, Chesek, Gilmartin and Holmes filed for both nominations. Gaidos and Hottes filed only for Democratic nominations.

Five people filed for nominations to fill one, unexpired two-year term. They are Gaidos, Gilmartin, Hottes, McAndrew and Greg Popil. McAndrew, Gilmartin and Popil filed for both nominations, Gaidos and Hottes only for Democratic nominations.

Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter.