Incumbents largely prevailed in contested municipal races throughout Lackawanna County on Tuesday, though Throop’s mayor, Jessup’s council president and an Olyphant councilman all lost their bids to secure party nominations for new terms, according to unofficial results late Tuesday.
Dozens of candidates throughout the county vied to be their communities’ next borough council members, mayors and township supervisors in municipal races spanning the Abingtons, Midvalley, Downvalley and Dunmore. In total, 36 candidates contended for 24 party nominations during Tuesday’s primary election, encompassing council races in Archbald, Clarks Summit, Dunmore, Jessup, Olyphant and Taylor; mayoral races in Archbald, Clarks Green and Throop; and a board of supervisors race in Glenburn Twp.
In Throop’s mayoral race where two-term Mayor Joe Tropiak sought a Democratic nomination against challenger Anthony Amico, Amico edged out Tropiak with 335 votes to the mayor’s 273 votes, according to unofficial results.
Also in the Midvalley, five Democrats sought four party nominations for seats on Jessup council, with incumbent Councilman Gregg Betti as the top vote-getter with 662 votes, followed by Councilman Thomas J. Fiorelli III with 625, Robbie Martin with 619 and Ronald Richard Kordish with 505 votes, according to unofficial results. Jessup Council President Roberta Pitoniak Galati failed to earn her party’s nomination for a third term with 494 votes.
In the third Midvalley municipal upset Tuesday night, in Olyphant where five Democratic candidates sought three nominations, challenger Eric Hartshorn, who unsuccessfully ran for council in 2019 and 2023, earned the most votes with 464, followed by incumbent Councilman Joseph Collarini with 438 and council President James Baldan with 428, according to unofficial results. Challenger Rosemary Davis trailed with 288 votes, followed by incumbent three-term Councilman David R. Krukovitz with 253 votes. Collarini was appointed to council in March to replace Councilman Jerry Tully, who resigned.
The remaining incumbents in contested municipal races across the county all secured party nominations, along with some newcomers.
Longtime Democratic Archbald Mayor Shirley Barrett topped challenger Cynthia Snyder with 941 votes to Snyder’s 559, according to unofficial results.
For Archbald council, where five Democratic candidates sought three nominations, Councilwoman Marie Cooke Andreoli was the highest vote-getter with 898 votes, followed by Tom Aniska with 876 and Councilman Francis Burke with 770, according to unofficial results. Former Councilwoman Kimberly Simon, with 625 votes, and challenger James Moran, with 562 votes, did not earn nominations. Andreoli was appointed to council in July to replace former Councilman Brian Gilgallon, who resigned the previous month.
Clarks Green Mayor Joe Barrasse defeated challenger Louis A. Nivert with 145 votes to Nivert’s 114 as they vied for the Democratic mayoral nomination, according to unofficial results.
One town over, with four Democratic candidates facing off for three nominations on Clarks Summit Borough Council, council President Gerrie Fitzgerald Carey garnered the most votes with 462, followed by Susan Fitzpatrick Grady with 433 and council Vice President Josh Mitchell with 325, according to unofficial results. Challenger Doug Craig Jr. trailed with 257 votes.
In Lackawanna County’s largest borough, all three Democratic Dunmore council incumbents secured their party’s nominations, with Councilman William “Trip” O’Malley earning 1,944 votes, followed by council Vice President Katherine Mackrell Oven with 1,841 and Councilman Tom Hallinan with 1,695, according to unofficial results. Newcomer Drew Marion received 1,085 votes.
With a contested race between two Republican candidates seeking one nomination for Glenburn Twp. supervisor, incumbent Supervisor Daniel B. Farnham defeated challenger Bernadette Rubino Menendez with 35 votes to Menendez’s 28 votes, according to unofficial results.
In Taylor, where five Democrats sought four nominations for borough council seats, Jeanie Sluck received the most votes with 592, followed by incumbents Councilman John Fox with 489 votes, council President Kenneth F. Mickavicz with 426 votes and Councilman Dick Nezlo with 355 votes, who narrowly edged out challenger Adam Piasecki’s 352 votes, according to unofficial results.
Elsewhere in Lackawanna County, Jermyn’s race for a new mayor and township supervisor races in La Plume and Ransom townships did not have a single candidate file to run, meaning write-in candidates will likely advance to November’s ballot.