Results remain after Susquehanna Ward 2 recount

BY STACI WILSON

The results of the Susquehanna borough council race hung in the balance of a recount of votes Monday by the county Election Returns Board.

Poll workers in Susquehanna’s 2nd ward failed to tally absentee ballots in the initial totals submitted and counted on election night.

But even with the 23 ballots added to the count, the election night results remained unchanged.

Former Susquehanna mayor and county commissioner Roberta Kelly garnered the most votes (199). Kelly was the only Republican appearing on the ballot.

Kelly’s total was followed by Allen Wolf (162) and Roy Williams (152).

After election night, Deborah Zayas held a one vote lead over David Scales Sr., a lead that with the absentees counted in expanded to two votes.

Zayas landed the fourth council seat with 138 ballots cast in her favor to Scales’ 136 vote total.

Poll workers in Montrose, first ward and in Liberty Twp. also failed to count the absentee ballots in the election night totals, said Director of Elections Laura Watts. The outcome of those races, however, was not in question.

In addition to the Susquehanna council race, voters cast ballots in other contested municipal and school races.

InForestCity, Kelley Twilley who secured a ballot slot with a write-in Republican win in the primary fell short with 111 votes to Bernard Scalzo (164), Joann Matarese (142) and Barbara Mihelc (159) in the race for three available seats on the council.

Pauline Wilcox secured a two-year council seat inForestCity. She ran unopposed.

Bridgewater Twp. Republican incumbent supervisor Charles Mead (349) held off a Democratic challenge by Peter Kane (264).

In Oakland Twp., incumbent Democratic supervisor Jamie Rodriguez Chilewski (52) came up short against GOP challenger Williams Wynn (65).

However, Oakland Twp. is still short one supervisor as the vacancy created with the death of Cyril Cowperthwait has gone unfilled.

Donald Herman Sr.(135) who challenged longtime Rush Twp. supervisor Charles Pierson (104) took the six-year supervisor seat from the incumbent.

In Harmony Twp., Republican Chad Towner ousted incumbent Democratic supervisor Frederick Jackson by one vote (58-57).

In theGreat BendTwp. supervisor race, 57 write-in votes were cast.

Montrose Area School District Region 2 incumbents Douglas Wilcox (755) and Chris Caterson (712) held off challenger John Delaney (252) to take the two available positions.

Ten write-in votes were cast in the Blue Ridge Region 3A school director race. Incumbent Joel Whitehead mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge to incumbent Cindy Gaughan for the Region 3 (Great Bend/Jackson) seat, leaving his seat open in the general election.