Ross commissioner candidate wins party nomination by 1 vote; write-ins could challenge incumbents this fall

Three of the four Ross Township commissioners who are up for reelection this year faced no opposition in the primary for party nominations, but could face challenges for their seats in November’s general election from people who received write-in votes.

Three candidates — two Democrats and a Republican — ran in the primary to fill a vacancy for the fourth seat created when the 8th Ward incumbent commissioner decided not to seek reelection.

The two candidates who challenged each other on the Democratic ticket to represent the 8th Ward are only separated by a single vote, according to Allegheny County’s unofficial election tabulation.

Ross has a nine-member board of commissioners elected by ward. Representatives for the even-numbered wards are up for reelection this year.

In Ward 2, incumbent Commissioner Chris Eyster ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the primary.

No Republicans sought the nomination, but 151 write-in votes were cast on the GOP ticket.

Only 10 write-in votes are needed to get on the ballot in November, according to county election officials.

People who receive enough write-in votes to run in the general election must accept the party’s nomination and be qualified to run before their names are placed on the ballot.

Eyster was appointed in February by unanimous vote to fill a vacancy in Ward 2 created by the resignation of Steve Korbel, who served as the board president. Eyster was the Ward 2 representative for two terms before deciding not to seek reelection. Korbel won the vacant seat in 2013.

Incumbent Ward 2 Commissioner Joe Laslavic, who is seeking a second term in office, ran unopposed on the Democratic ticket in the primary. He received 505 votes to win the nomination.

There were 80 write-in votes on the Republican ticket for the Ward 2 seat.

Ward 6 incumbent Commissioner Jason Pirring also ran unopposed in the primary on the Democratic ticket. He picked up 428 votes in his bid to run for a second term.

No Republicans sought the Ward 6 nomination, but there were 12 write-in votes cast on the GOP ticket.

The only primary race in Ross Township was for the Ward 8 nomination.

Democrat Lauren Hergert received 234 votes to defeat challenger Denise Rickenbrode, who picked up 233 votes.

Hergert will face Republican Matt Kruth, who ran unopposed for his party’s nomination.

The Ward 8 seat currently is occupied by incumbent Commissioner Frances Salachup, who is not seeking reelection.

Salachup was appointed in July to complete the unexpired term of Republican Jeremy Shaffer, who was resigned because his family moved out of the township.