Franklin County votes on November 7th as part of Pennsylvania’s 2023 election. Most races will feature local candidates (three statewide judicial positions are also on the ballot) and voters in boroughs and townships will elect positions ranging from town council members, to school board directors, to auditors, to Magisterial Judges.
In Chambersburg, the seat of Franklin County government, five Wards will select Borough Council members. Ward 4 elects separate members for both two and four-year terms. Voters will choose one candidate each for their respective Wards.
The Chambersburg School District will elect their Board of Directors in Regions 2,5,7,8, and 9. This entity establishes policies and regulations by which their local schools are managed and governed. Regions 2, 5, and 7 are contested races, while Regions 8 and 9 feature candidates who run unopposed.
For the Magisterial District Judge office, candidate Glenn Manns also runs without a challenger.
Waynesboro’s registered voters will head to the polls Tuesday at 7am. The borough will select three Town Council members, one each in Wards 1, 2, and 3. Three other Council members will face re-election next year. Waynesboro currently has all-Republican members on its six-person panel.
Voters will choose one candidate each in their home Ward. In the only contested Borough Council race, Democrat challenger Sarah Provard runs against incumbent Mike Cermak.
Candidate Provard runs as a compassionate and community-focused Democrat with a caregiver background. Provard has seen firsthand how local policies impact people’s lives and as a new Borough Council member she vows to make a positive impact.
Current Borough Council member, Republican Mike Cermak, has a twelve-year history on the council, and is seeking re-election. Cermak is United States Marine Veteran with a later career of business successes. His focus while in office has been to maintain a high-caliber police and fire department, to enhance pedestrian safety, and to encourage further revitalization of Waynesboro’s downtown.
In Waynesboro’s Ward 2, Republican incumbent Jon Fleagle runs unopposed.
Patrick Fleagle will face no challenger as well in Ward 3. Republican Fleagle formerly served as a Pennsylvania State Representative before joining Waynesboro’s Borough Council.
For Waynesboro’s School Board of Directors races (voters will choose up to two per district), three contests will be held. In the North End district, Republicans Rachel Fortney and Patricia Strite are the two choices. For the Washington district, residents can choose two of the three following candidates: Karen Fitzgerald Herald, Clint Pentz, or Linda Zimmerman.
Republican Lloyd Hamberger runs unopposed for the Waynesboro Borough district of the School Board. Hamberger is Waynesboro’s former Borough Manager.
Greencastle’s citizens will decide on leadership for four offices on November 7th. For Magisterial Judge, Duane Cunningham is the sole candidate.
The Borough Council will gain 3 members, each for a four-year term. Voter’s options include two Republicans- Joel Amsley and Larry Faight, and two Democrats: Jeremy Layman and Scott Reagan.
For the two-year term on Greencastle’s Borough Council, one candidate from each party was eligible to run, but no Republican or Democrat has filed for this position.
The School Board’s five open positions are locked in prior to the vote, with only five Greencastle candidates (all Republicans) listed on the ballot.
In Washington Township, there is little suspense to the election’s outcome, as three of four races feature either unopposed candidates or two people running for two positions. Annie Gomez Shockey runs alone for Magisterial District Judge, as does Brenda Haugh for Auditor (four-year term).
Republicans Ted Snowberger III and Charles Strausbaugh are the choices for Township Supervisor’s two slots. Residents will be able to vote for both candidates if desired.
For the Auditor position with a six-year term, no Washington Township resident filed to be on the ballot. The Township will take part in Waynesboro’s School District races.
Quincy Township offers few surprises too as Democrat Julia Bowers runs uncontested for the Auditor office and Republicans Nelson Egolf (six-year term) and Edward Wilson (four-year term) run unopposed for their respective Township Supervisor positions. Like Washington Township, Quincy will also take part in Waynesboro’s School District Board of Directors election.
For voters in Antrim Township, the trend of one-sided races continues as conservatives dominate the ballot. Republican Dianne Smith is the sole choice for Auditor (four-year term) and Republican Mark Smith is the single candidate for the six-year Auditor term. Conservatives John Alleman and Patrick Heraty run for Township Supervisor’s two open positions.
Around Franklin County, other communities will select their leadership. Mercersburg votes in the common trio of offices (Borough Council, School Board, and Magisterial District Judge). Mont Alto has three Borough Council spots open and three ballot candidates to fill them. In Orrstown, no candidate filed for the Mayoral position. With no current Mayor in place, the village of 214 residents will continue to be run by the Town Council President.
The Department of State overseas Pennsylvania’s statewide elections and strives to keep them fair and honest. All registered voters can file complaints online if they witness fraud or any irregularities on Election Day. Voters can also voice their objections to the Judge of Elections at their polling place. If those issues stay unresolved, the County Election Office can be consulted.
Throughout Franklin County, 98,185 registered citizens hold the privilege and civic responsibility to vote on November 7th. Those individuals will pick leadership that will drive the county forward, indicate coming trends in local and Pennsylvania politics, and perhaps reveal future trailblazers who will lead with fresh ideas.
