After a primary campaign season where behavior and ethics became a theme, Northumberland County voters by 8 p.m. today will have narrowed a field of 11 candidates for commissioner to just four.
Those four - two each Democrat and Republican - will vie for three commissioner spots in the Nov. 8 general election. It's a process that could result in the same board of commissioners - the competitive field of hopefuls include all three incumbents - a completely new one, or a combination of the two.
On the Democratic side are current Commissioners Vinny Clausi, of Coal Township, and Frank Sawicki, of Atlas, along with Kulpmont Mayor Myron Turlis and county social worker Dodie Lovett, of Dalmatia.
The crowded Republican field includes current minority Commissioner Merle Phillips, of Upper Augusta Township, as well as Thomas Aber, of Milton; Terry Curran, of Snydertown; Charles Horvath, of Rush Township; Samuel Schiccitano, of Coal Township; Rick Shoch, of Sunbury, and Larry Wary, of Snydertown.
Most challengers to the incumbent commissioners have cited as part of their reason for running the recent tension in the county. It has built up over a year or more because of firings, union contract battles, public spats and lawsuits. Dire predictions about the county's financial picture have been an issue as well.
For their part, the incumbents have cited improved accountability among staff, money-saving cuts and financial changes that have helped the county's bottom line.
The only statewide races involve those for judge for the Superior and Commonwealth courts.
School board competition
The only local race where there is more competition than for county commissioner is the battle for Shamokin Area School Board.
Eleven candidates are on today's ballot - 10 of them cross-filed as both Democrats and Republicans. That means five candidates could win nomination in both parties, or 10 different candidates could win between the two parties - or some combination of the two.
It's a similar situation in Mount Carmel Area, where nine candidates are on the ballot, all of them cross-filed.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m.
(For details on the statewide judicial races, school board candidate names and other contested races, see the accompanying chart.)