Yesterday voters went to the polls to choose their party’s candidates for judges, city and county council members, supervisors and school board members. Despite a “chamber of commerce” day weather-wise in Erie County, only 22% of the eligible voters participated in yesterday’s Municipal Primary.
In the most watched race of the evening, longtime Erie trial attorney David Ridge is now virtually assured of becoming an Erie County Judge next January. He won both Democratic and Republican nominations for Court of Common Pleas as all candidates cross-filed. He believes his door to door campaigning was critical to his win. Ridge is joined for the other seat on the Democratic ticket by Chief Deputy District Attorney Erin Connelly. Meanwhile, the second top vote getter on the Republican ticket is attorney Ed Smith. All candidates pledged to have a rigorous campaign in the fall.
In other races around the region, voters wanted change in Erie County Council, as they chose newcomer Mary Rennie over the 40 year veteran Fiore Leone in the third district. Rennie bested Leone by 10 percentage points.
A crowded Erie City Council race for three positions, but on the Democratic side, incumbent Mel Witherspoon dominated as the top vote getter, joined by veteran politician Ed Brzezinski and newcomer Michael Keys.
In school board races five people were selected for the Erie school board, but they didn’t include board president Frank Petrungar, Jr., while in Millcreek, director Lou Aliota was voted off of the school board.
The unofficial results from the Municipal Primary election held in Erie County, PA on Tuesday, May 21st are available here: https://www.eriecountypa.gov/county-services/elections-voting/current-election-results.aspx
