Franklin County residents go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Contested races include the positions on the Intermediary Courts of Pennsylvania and in the Borough of Chambersburg. Here’s what to expect on your ballot and what to know about the fight to represent you. School board races and township contests will be outlined in a story on Monday.
CONTESTED RACES FOR COURTS AND CHAMBERSBURG:
–Pennsylvania Superior Court
–Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
–Chambersburg mayor
–Chambersburg Borough council members
Chambersburg Borough
Chambersburg has many contested vacancies. Chief among them is the position for mayor, which oversees the police department and emergency declarations, as well as engaging in the community.
Candidates for Chambersburg mayor
Incumbent Mayor Kenneth C. Hock (R) has said he has spent his term making Chambersburg safer through ride-alongs and enforcing policies like the usage of body cams to keep both the police force and Chambersburg citizens safe. As the owner of Factory Direct Carpets, Hock said he has an understanding of the community necessary to keep small businesses functioning.
John A. Scott III (D) is the Democratic contender for mayor. With a background in leadership as a Truist banking vice president, Scott said he plans to implement policies that will keep the council running smoothly and promote economic growth. He said he also brings to office nearly three decades of civic engagement experience through his time as a Borough Councilman for Chambersburg, a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission and member of the Recreation Advisory Committee.
To find out more about the candidates, visit Hock’s Facebook page and Scott’s LinkedIn.
Council members
Chambersburg has five wards, all of which are holding elections. Council members act as community representatives and often act as liaisons between their respective wards and the Chambersburg Council. Council members are responsible for addressing ward problems and needs; they’re the ones to depend on when an issue arrives in a community’s back yard.
Ward 1
Incumbent Allen B. Coffman (R) is the current president of the Town Council and is elected to renew his position as councilman of Ward 1. As president of the Town Council, he said he has supported reformed energy infrastructure and healthcare. Coffman was reprimanded by the council in 2021 for a response to a citizen inquiry but vows to uphold the values and ideals of the community.
David R. Wilson (D) is challenging Coffman for the seat. A lifelong Chambersburg resident, Wilson insists that his connection to the community is unique and bolstered by his experience as a healthcare provider in the area. He explained that running a local optometry practice provides him with ample insight into effectively balancing community needs with administrative efficiency.
Ward 2
Austin Rosenbaum (R) is the only Republican candidate who isn’t an incumbent. After a decade-long career in real estate, Rosenbaum seeks to take office and restore Chambersburg to what he called traditional conservative values. As a lifelong Christian and church member, he seeks reform that honors “faith, family, and freedom.”
Challenging Rosenbaum for representation of Ward 2 is Shannon M. Jackson (D), who said he is a leader in technology and creating innovative solutions for community problems. He has worked as a software developer for WellSpan since 2001. His educational background includes degrees in military history, physics and business administration; paired with his intersocial expertise as a ceritified tourism ambassador for Franklin County, Jackson said he would tackle community problems with forward-thinking policies and transparency in local government.
Ward 3
Incumbent Dom Brown (R) has served in both state and federal government positions through his time with Ward 3, as convoy commander in the Multi-National Division in Iraq, and as the director of Public Works & Transportation in Maryland. Brown said he not only has the administrative knowledge to guide the ward, but he claims that his “common-sense conservative” approach will guide Chambersburg businesses into financial prosperity.
Curtis Shoup’s (D) grassroots campaign reflects much of what he’s cultivated throughout his time in Chambersburg. Shoup spends much of his time volunteering with nonprofits and PTOs to create resources for Chambersburg citizens. He is a fourth grade math, science and social studies teacher. He said his background in music and teaching make him an ideal “hands-on candidate” who can spearhead problems with efficiency and empathy.
Ward 4
In her time as Ward 4 Councilperson, incumbent Stacy Short (R) said she has delved into getting to know the needs of her community. She cited a positive response to council meetings and gets to know her community through volunteer work and promoting community events.
Lucinda Butler (D) is a Chambersburg native who, above all, said she advocates for equal resources for all. She cites the shortage of grocery stores in ward 4 as a major issue, particularly for elderly people or those with mobility problems. Butler owns and operates her own salon, demonstrating a tenacity for administrative detail that would serve ward 4 well.
Ward 5
Weston Waytow (R) is the incumbent in Ward 5. He will face Andrew Kilbride, and LocalNews1.org will add information about him as soon as he responds to an email request.
Andrew Kilbride (D) will face off against Waytow. He was born and raised in Franklin County and particularly support the Coyle-Free Library and local businesses. He was a volunteer at the Chambersburg hospital. He was also featured in the Chambersburg Neighbors Magazine in 2023. He graduated from Buchanan High School in Mercersburg where he was student council president. A car accident his senior year left him confined to a wheelchair, but he graduated with his class, then studied at Hagerstown Community College and graduated from Temple University in 2005 with a speech communications degree. He now works as a support services administrator.
In other municipal races, including the mayor of Waynesboro, contests have no opponents.
Judicial Races
Just beneath the Federal Supreme Court sit two intermediary courts in each state; the Superior Court, which handles appeals made in civic cases, and the Commonwealth Court, which handles cases concerning government policy. When an appeal is made in a case overseen by the Court of Common Pleas (Pennsylvania has 60 Courts in various judicial districts), it goes to the appropriate court depending on whether the case involves a government entity.
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
Eight judges currently sit in the Commonwealth Court – three Democrats, five Republicans – and two representatives are vying for its last open slot. The position is held for 10 years, meaning the winner will hold office until 2036.
Stella Tsai is the Democratic contender for the seat. Since 2016, she’s been a judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and said she intends to bring her years of experience as a judge and litigator in social services, business and regulatory compliance cases to the seat.
Matt Wolford is the Republican candidate for the ninth Commonwealth Court judge. Throughout his nearly four-decade career Wolford has focused on environmental protection policies. He has worked with the Commonwealth Court and its agencies as a litigator and said he intends to continue his work protecting against government orver-reach.
Both candidates come highly recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. To dive deeper into their backgrounds and ideas, readers may explore Tsai’s website here and Wolford’s website here.
Pennsylvania Superior Court
The Pennsylvania Superior Court holds a single vacancy on its 15-judge panel, which houses eight Democrats and six Republicans. In the last decade the court has judged pop-culturally relevant cases like Bill Cosby’s several sexual assault convictions and Meek Mill’s drug and gun charges. Like the Commonwealth Court, judges on the Superior Court stay for a decade-long term.
Brandon Neuman (D) currently sits on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas, but said he intends to bring impartial justice to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Neuman has extensive and diverse experience as a member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives, where he said he helped pass legislation to protect victims of sexual assault, and he also has years of working with veteran- and criminal-related cases in various state offices. Neuman comes highly recommended by the state Bar Association.
Maria Battista (R) comes from a diverse professional background, including six years with the state Departments of Health and State, experience as a contract specialist in the U.S. Department of Defense. She holds a doctorate in education. Battista is an advocate for children’s rights and said she intends to use her knowledge to make fair decisions in child custody hearings (which make up the second largest chunk of case types heard by the Superior Court).
Daniel Wassmer (L) is the Liberal Party candidate. Wassmer’s campaign rests on the idea of unity, specifically through the presence of a non-partisan representative on the court. Although he has no experience working with the state, he said that his education and professional experience as a lawyer, professor and business owner will enable him to provide objective insight on a court addled with partisan politics.
Readers may explore the embedded links to find more information on Neuman, Battista and Wassmer.
