The list of candidates that will appear on the May primary election ballots in Blair County has been completed.
Blair County Director of Elections Shirley Crowl provided a list to The Daily Herald yesterday.
In some of the races that hit home, there are six candidates for five positions for the Tyrone Area School Board. All six candidates have filed both Democratic and Republican petitions. The candidates are sitting board members Pete Dutrow, Lee Stover, Luther Laird, Becky Emenhiser, Norman Huff and challenger Ray Detwiler. Detwiler lost to a write-in candidacy by Dutrow two years ago.
There are five candidates for five positions on the Bellwood-Antis School Board. Donna Tyler, Ken Loucks, David Worthing, Rhonda Hocutt and Jeff Plummer are on both ballots.
The battle for the four seats on Tyrone Borough Council will have four Democrats running and three Republicans. On the democratic ticket, incumbants Sharon Dannaway and Jennifer Bryan are joined by Dan Meckes and John R. (Ralph) Thomas.
The Bellwood Borough Council only has one name on the ballot. Incumbant John Gonsallus is on the Democratic ticket.
Two of the most interesting races should be for the position of supervisor in Snyder and Antis Township.
In Snyder Township, sitting supervisor Ray Rogers is joined on the Republican ballot by challengers Charlie Diehl and Bernie Sherwin. Joy Bickle is running on the Democratic ballot.
In Antis Township, the seat being vacated by Leo Matuszewski has four Republican challengers. Bob Walker, Dennis Himes Sr., Eric Kies and Scott Baldwin are bidding to fill the six-year term.
The position of district justice that serves Tyrone and Bellwood boroughs and Snyder and Antis townships has two contenders on both ballots. Incumbant Fred Miller is being challenged by Suzanne Bigelow-Cherry for the six-year term on the bench.
In county-wide offices, the Blair County Commissioners race has heated up.
On the Democratic ballot, incumbant Donna Gorrity is joined on the ballot by Joseph Claar of East Freedom. On the Republican ballot, sitting commissioners John Ebersole and John Eichelberger are joined by challenger Barry Wright.
The race for Blair County Treasurer has two Republicans on the ballot. Debbie Shuster-King and James Carothers will battle for the seat that is being vacated by the retirement of Fred Foreman.
Mary Ann Bennis and James Ellis will square off for the position of Blair County Recorder of Wills and Deeds.
Incumbant Blair County Controller Richard Peo is running unopposed as is coroner Patty Ross.
The primary election in Pennsylvania is May 20.
