The campaign of District Justice Elizabeth Doyle spent the most money of the four candidates for the open seat on the Blair County Court of Common Pleas and after the votes were tabulated last night, Doyle has locked up the position on both the Democratic and Republican ballot in the November election.
The justice who serves Newry, Williamsburg, Hollidaysburg and the surrounding townships, captured 2,345 Democratic votes. Terry Tomassetti was second with 1,721, Norm Callan was third with 1,670 and William Haberstroh was fourth with 1,386.
Doyle also captured the Republican nomination by nearly 700 votes out pacing Haberstroh 5,410-4,167. Callan was third with 3,172 and Tomassetti was fourth with 3,015.
“Like the James Brown song says, ‘I feel Good,’” said Doyle. “My goal was to come out first and we did it. This campaign wasn’t just about Elizabeth Doyle. There were many supporters who helped me win yesterday. I was telling people yesterday, I didn’t know how the whole county race would turn out, but I felt confident that I would carry the northern part of the county because of how wonderful the people were to me as we went door to door.”
Doyle pledged to serve the residents of the county as she has the past 11 years.
“I served as an assistant district attorney and as a district justice for the past 11 years,” said Doyle. “I feel I bring the work ethic, energy, intellect and enthusiasm to the office. I will serve as I have, be fair and do a good job.”
Doyle has served six years as a district justice after being appointed by Governor Tom Ridge and then being re-elected.
Doyle has been practicing law for 14 years and noted in the recent Meet the Candidates forum that “The Pennsylvania Bar Association has put out criteria as by which they decide whether someone is qualified to be a judge. They include: legal experience, trial experience; proper judicial temperment and the ability to serve the full 10-year judicial term.”
The term for the Blair County Court of Common Pleas is 10 years.
In the District Justice race for Northern Blair County, incumbant Fred Miller easily outdistanced Suzanne Bigelow-Cherry to lock up the Republican and Democratic nominations for the fall ballot.
Miller outdistanced Bigelow-Cherry 542-392 with Democrats and easily won the Republican vote 1,407-768.
“I am very pleased,” said Miller of winning his first election. “I look forward to continuing to serve as the District Justice for the next six years. I will continue to make a full time committment to the District Justice position and want to thank everyone who supported and helped out with my campaign.”
Miller was appointed to fill the position vacated by District Justice John Greene in May of 2002 and was unanimously approved by the State Senate.
The district justice term is six years.
