By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER

marcie@bradfordera.com

The candidate list for the upcoming primary election for McKean County shows a lack of candidates for important offices, some hotly contested seats and some perhaps unexpected changes.

In the City of Bradford, Councilman Fred Proper didn’t seek re-election, opting instead to run for a seat on Bradford Area School Board. Seeking three 4-year terms on council are Republican incumbents Tim Pecora, Kristopher Goll and Terry Lopus. For one 2-year term, newcomer Mark Young, a Republican, is seeking the seat.

Also in the city, the position of controller saw an early kerfuffle that changed the picture moving forward. Candidate Michele Corignani challenged signatures for incumbent Randall Turner, knocking him off the ballot (see sidebar).

Elsewhere in the county, two mayoral offices, two borough councils and two townships lack candidates in the May primary. According to the candidate list, there are no candidates for township supervisor in Bradford or Annin townships.

Bradford Township Supervisor Chairman Mark Cline did not seek re-election, and no one else will be on the ballot for the position. Write-in votes may decide the race.

No candidates were on the list for the positions of mayor for Lewis Run or Mount Jewett. Neither Jason Campogiani for Lewis Run nor Brianna Howard of Mount Jewett filed to run again.

For borough councils, there are no candidates on the ballot for Kane, for three 2-year positions; or for Mount Jewett, for one 2-year position. However, for Mount Jewett, there are nine candidates seeking four 4-year terms — Francis Auriemmo Jr., Ona Paar, John Hayduk, Robin Engl-Taylor, Annie Jo Wolfe, Mike Wennerstrom, Jane Bernecky, Thomas Geer and Jesse Wagner. All candidates are Republican.

School board races will see more candidates than in recent years. For Bradford Area School Board, where there are four 4-year, at large terms available and eight candidates are seeking the ballot. Incumbents Hiel Bartlett and Helen Schuster, Republicans, and Frances Forbes, a Democrat, are running again. Other candidates include Democrats Katie Caruso and Zachary Ware, and Republicans Fred Proper, Robert Primary… page A-8 Ferguson and David Feely.

For Kane Area School District, there are three candidates for four 4-year terms, Republican incumbents Fred John Lorenzo IV and Amber Hancharick and newcomer Merideth Fadenholz.

For Otto-Eldred School District, Region I, Otto Township, there is no candidate for a 4-year term. For Region II, Eldred Township, there are two 4-year terms, and one candidate, Democrat Jeannine Dawn Gray. For Region III, Eldred Borough and Ceres Township, there is one 4-year term and no candidate.

In Oswayo Valley School District, Region I, Ceres Township, there are two candidates for two 4-year terms, Republicans Kent Wichert and Jackie Taylor.

For Port Allegany School District, there are four 4-year terms and three candidates, Republicans incumbent Nathan Burgett and newcomers Alex Johnson and

Erica Babcock. In Smethport Area School District, Region I, Norwich Township and Smethport Borough, there is one seat, sought by incumbent Republican Daniel Wertz. For Region II, Hamlin Township, Sergeant Township and Keating Township third district, there are two 4-year seats, and one candidate, newcomer Republican Alexander Myers. For Region III, Keating Township first and second districts, where there is one 4-year term, incumbent Republican David Stratton is running for re-election.

On the ballot in the primary are the second judgeship for the county, the only candidate for which is the already appointed Michele Alfieri-Causer, a Republican. Incumbent Republican candidates are the only ones seeking the county row offices on the ballot, Dan Woods for sheriff, Vicky Madine for prothonotary, Jody Bloomquist for controller and Melissa Jo Smith for treasurer.

For supervisors, which are six-year terms, the following are on the ballot: Foster Township, George Hocker; Keating Township, David McClain and two vacancies; Ceres Township, Anthony Plants; Corydon Township, Dennis Faucher; Eldred Township, Jeffrey Rhinehart; Hamilton Township, Brian Bastow; Lafayette Township, William Black; Liberty Township, Chad Moses; Norwich Township, James Thomas and Benjamin Keesee; Otto Township, Gerard Rettger; Sergeant Township, Chris Carlson; and Wetmore Township, Stephen Dyne.

For Eldred Borough Mayor, Andrew Lathrop; borough council, Ernie Perry, one vacant; Kane Mayor, Brandy Schimp; three 4-year seats on Lewis Run Borough council, Democrat Diannalyn DeCasper, Republicans Devin Kerr, Jenna Zetwick and Thomas Lockwood; Port Allegany Borough Mayor, Laura Fillhart, and four 4-year terms on council Thomas Johnson, Todd Moses, Katie Dynda and one vacant; Smethport Borough Mayor Wayne Foltz and one 4-year term on council, Gregory Rounsville, Randall Taylor and Jeffrey Tanner.

Voters in Liberty Township will vote on a referendum for ambulance service: “Shall Liberty Township be permitted to raise the limit on the annual tax to support the ambulance up to one (1) mill?”