Judge orders primary ballot recount for tied commissioner race in Ross Township
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An Allegheny County judge has ordered a recount of the ballots cast in the May 18 primary for two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to run for the Ward 8 commissioner’s seat in Ross Township.
Democrats Lauren Hergert and Denise Rickenbrode each received 235 votes, according to an unofficial tally by the Allegheny County Elections Division.
The county initially reported that Rickenbrode lost to Hergert by a single vote.
Of the votes cast for the two Democrats vying for the nomination, Hergert received 123 votes on Election Day, 111 votes by absentee ballot and one vote cast by provisional ballot.
Rickenbrode received 102 votes on the day of the primary, 131 absentee ballot votes and two provisional votes.
There are 1,365 registered Democrats in the 8th Ward.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph James issued an order calling for a public recount of the ballots for the three Democratic voting districts in Ward 8. The recount was scheduled for June 8 at the Elections Division warehouse, according to the order.
Any changes found in the tally must be submitted to the judge by 4:30 p.m. on June 15.
If the tie vote stands after the ballots are recounted, the winner will be determined by a flip of a coin, according to county officials.
Hergert and Rickenbrode said they both would participate in the county’s process to pick the Democratic nominee to face Republican Matt Kruth, who ran unopposed in the primary for his party’s nomination.
Kruth received 177 votes. There are 908 registered Republicans in Ross’ 8th Ward.
The Ward 8 seat currently is occupied by incumbent Commissioner Frances Salachup, who did not seek reelection.
Three of the four Ross Township commissioners who are up for reelection this year faced no opposition in the primary, but could face challenges in November’s general election from write-in candidates, who need only 10 write-in votes to get on the ballot for the Nov. 2 general election, according to county election officials.
Ross has a nine-member board of commissioners elected by ward. Representatives for the even-numbered wards are up for reelection this year.