January 03, 2022 |
By Emily Scott © Public News Service | Posted in: Politics & Elections
With the deadline for approving Pennsylvania’s new voting-district maps fast approaching, the commission in charge of creating House and Senate maps is hosting public hearings this week to receive feedback from residents.
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission will host eight hours of public hearings on Thursday and Friday in Harrisburg.
Carol Kuniholm, chair of the advocacy group Fair Districts PA, said creating new maps once a decade based on population changes is never an easy task. She pointed out in the proposed Senate map, there is concern about a pattern of large deviations from the ideal district population, which needs to be addressed.
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November 03, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Announcements, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections, White Oak News
Republicans swept four vacant seats on White Oak borough council in Tuesday's election.
According to complete but unofficial results from the Allegheny County elections office, Loree Scharritter led the field with 1,188 votes, followed by incumbent Julie A. Opferman and newcomers Joelle M. Harbert and Jason Russell.
Former White Oak councilman David J. Pasternak came in fifth place; followed by Kenneth Robb and George Dillinger, who lost their bids for re-election; and Kenneth A. Obusek.
Pasternak, Robb, Dillinger and Obusek are Democrats.
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October 31, 2021 |
By Sarah Turnbull | Posted in: Politics & Elections, White Oak News
White Oak residents on Tuesday will select members of council and decide whether to retain their mayor.
The Democratic ticket includes Lisa Pitchford for tax collector; with David J. Pasternak, George Dillinger, Ken Robb and Kenneth Obusek as members of council. The Republican ticket includes Julie Opferman, Jason Russell, Joelle Harbert and Loree Scharritter running for members of council.
There are four seats available on council. Dillinger, Opferman and Robb are incumbents.
Incumbent Mayor Ina Jean Marton faces a last-minute challenger, write-in candidate Kelly Doyle. (See related story.)
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October 31, 2021 |
By Jason A. Mignanelli | Posted in: Politics & Elections, White Oak News
A last-minute write-in candidate is challenging incumbent White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton in Tuesday’s election.
Kelly Doyle, who manages the McKeesport Agape Center on Lincoln Way, says she’s running for mayor because she feels strongly about serving the people of White Oak.
“I already spend up to six days per week serving the community through the Agape Center, so the mayor position would come naturally to me,” Doyle says.
Marton, who has served as White Oak mayor since 2004, won both the Democratic and Republican nominations in May’s primaries. She has not faced opposition since her first election.
“I have no problem with anyone running against me,” Marton says. “I just ask for a good, honest and fair campaign.”
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September 16, 2021 |
By Emily Scott © Public News Service | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Five of seven judges’ seats in the Supreme Court chamber in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. (Ruhrfisch photo via Wikimedia Commons. Used under CC BY-SA 4.0, Link.)
Emily Scott, Public News Service:
Pennsylvanians will vote this November to elect judges in the state’s three appellate courts, and a virtual candidate forum next week will allow voters to get to know those running for the Commonwealth, Superior and Supreme Court positions who will make influential decisions.
Two seats are up for grabs in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, and one each in its Superior and Supreme courts. Pennsylvania differs from some states in that it votes for judges in partisan elections, rather than by merit selection.
Debbie Gross, chief executive officer of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, said it limits the information voters can gather from candidates as they are expected to remain impartial in light of issues that could arise on the bench.
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May 20, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Duquesne News, McKeesport and Region News, Politics & Elections
Duquesne Mayor Nickole Nesby was defeated for the Democratic nomination for a second term in office, but Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey held off his primary challenger.
Winners of primaries in each party will face one another in the general election Nov. 2.
Duquesne Mayor
According to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division, Nesby, the first Black woman elected mayor of Duquesne, was defeated in the Democratic Primary by City Councilman R. Scott Adams by a sizable margin.
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April 28, 2021 |
By Siana Emery | Posted in: Politics & Elections
(Submitted photo courtesy Steven Singer)
Steven Singer, challenger to the incumbent for the Democratic nomination in District 9 of Allegheny County Council, is determined to make the voice of the Mon Valley heard.
“The Mon Valley is kind of forgotten by the rest of the county. But this corner of the county — we’re here, and we deserve the same resources and amenities as the rest of the county. I want to stand up and make sure we’re heard,” Singer said. “The steel mills may have closed, but we’re still here.”
Singer is “Allegheny County born and bred,” having lived in White Oak his entire life. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Singer worked as a journalist at the McKeesport Daily News, as well as an educator in Baldwin and McKeesport, before settling at the Steel Valley School District as a middle school teacher.
“Mon Valley is my community,” said Singer. “I want to serve this community because this is my neighborhood. This is the place I grew up. My family lives here, I care about the people here.”
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April 28, 2021 |
By Siana Emery | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Editor’s Note: Tube City Almanac contributor Siana Emery called Bob Macey on his home phone, cell phone and office phone, asking for an interview. She also sent email to Macey’s office.
Macey did not respond to those requests.
(Allegheny County photo)
For the first time since 2013, Allegheny County Councilor Bob Macey has an opponent in the Democratic Primary in the race for the District 9 seat.
Macey, who resides in West Mifflin, did not respond to requests from Tube City Almanac for comment. However, he told WESA-FM Radio that his policies are a better reflection of the Mon Valley community than those of his opponent, Steven Singer.
District 9 serves Dravosburg, Duquesne, Elizabeth, Forward, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, McKeesport, North Versailles Twp., Port Vue, South Versailles Twp., Versailles, West Mifflin and White Oak. Macey was appointed to the seat in 2006 and elected for a four-year term in 2009.
An article published by WESA on April 26 outlines some of Macey’s voting record for local issues. Throughout his three terms on county council, Macey has established himself as a politician who leans further right than many others in his party, while still supporting some progressive legislation.
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February 08, 2021 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Voters in local communities will be electing mayors, council members and school directors in 2021.
On Monday, the Allegheny County Elections Division announced that nominating petitions for the 2021 primary election are now available.
The first day to circulate nominating petitions is Feb. 16 and the last day to file nominating petitions is March 9.
Among those communities voting for mayors will be Duquesne and White Oak. Three McKeesport city council seats and four White Oak borough council seats are up for election, as are commissioners’ seats in Wards 2, 4 and 6 of North Versailles Twp.
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January 12, 2021 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Politics & Elections
Linda Brewster and her husband, state Sen. Jim Brewster, at his 2017 swearing-in at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Brewster is scheduled to take the oath Wednesday morning after a federal judge dismissed a challenge filed by his opponent, Nicole Ziccarelli of Lower Burrell. (Courtesy office of state Sen. Jim Brewster)
State Sen. Jim Brewster will be sworn in for his third full term representing the 45th District on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m.
The decision by Pennsylvania Republicans to seat Brewster came Tuesday afternoon, after a federal judge in Pittsburgh dismissed a lawsuit filed by Brewster’s opponent that challenged the results of the Nov. 3 election.
Allegheny County Judge David Spurgeon of White Oak is scheduled to administer the oath to Brewster, Democrat from McKeesport.
“I just feel so relieved, for my family, my friends, my staff and for all of the people in the 45th District, no matter who they voted for,” Brewster said Tuesday night, as he worked through some 300 messages from well-wishers congratulating him on his victory, as well as from news reporters from around the United States asking for comment.
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