Democrats maintain control of Pottsville government. And it looks like that’s going to be the case for at least another 4 years.
In order to win elections, you actually need to put candidates on the ballot.
And Pottsville Republicans heading to the polls on primary day May 21 aren’t going to see a lot of names for city offices.
It’s more like a name. One.
Dave Clews, a business owner in Pottsville, is the lone Republican appearing on the primary ballot for a city office. He wants one of two city council seats.
With just one GOP challenger on the ballot, the Democrats most likely will get at least one of those council seats.
The Republicans aren’t even putting up a fight for the treasurer or controller’s seats.
What Happened to the #MAGA Vote in Schuylkill County?
A lot of local politicians failed to take advantage of the Make America Great Again movement. The 2019 municipal election is the first chance to see if it works here.
And here we are looking at a Pottsville primary ballot with a single GOP name on it.
There’s a strong MAGA movement inside Pottsville. Trump didn’t carry the city vote like he did everywhere else in Schuylkill County. But a Republican pulling out the win in the city that’s been run by Democrats for decades can’t be ignored. But it is.
| Clinton | Trump | Castle | Stein | Johnson | Write in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Ward | 71 | 147 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 2nd Ward | 199 | 287 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 6 |
| 3rd Ward Pct. 2 | 87 | 114 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 3rd Ward Pct. 1 | 174 | 247 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 7 |
| 3rd Ward Pct. 3 | 112 | 171 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| 4th Ward | 262 | 285 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 6 |
| 5th Ward Pct. 1 | 175 | 204 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 4 |
| 5th Ward Pct. 2 | 185 | 300 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| 6th Ward | 150 | 298 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 7th Ward Pct. 1 | 313 | 478 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 11 |
| 7th Ward Pct. 2 | 365 | 432 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 11 |
| TOTALS | 2093 | 2963 | 25 | 55 | 131 | 61 |
Someone needs to rattle the cages of the dormant Pottsville GOP. There’s no excuse for not finding a challenger for each of these seats.
This is a clear example of the general public being tuned out of local politics.
Of course, there’s still time to get candidates on the ballot for the General Election in November. It’d be a shame to let this first (and hopefully not last) opportunity to seize the MAGA movement energy and bring it to city politics.
As it stands now, we’re looking at at least 4 more years of whatever this status quo has become.
2019 Pottsville Primary Election
Here’s a look at the candidates running for the offices that appear on the primary ballot on May 21. Don’t forget to check back on Election Night for full coverage of the big races that night.
Pottsville City Council Primary Election
There are three candidates on the primary ballot. All of them will move on to the General Election.
Republicans can pick local businessman Dave Clews to vie for this seat in November. The Democrats are putting up Edmund Jones, another businessman, and Dorothy Botto.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Win (*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Clews | REP | 0 | |
| Edmund J. Jones | DEM | 0 | |
| Dorothy L. Botto | DEM | 0 |
Pottsville City Treasurer Election
Longtime incumbent Ellen Micka is seeking another 4-year term as Pottsville City Treasuer. There are no other candidates on the primary ballot.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Win (*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen Micka | DEM | 0 |
Pottsville City Controller Election
For City Controller, Democrat Bill Messaros is running for a 4-year term. He’s got no primary challenger and there are no Republicans on the ballot.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Win (*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Messaros | DEM | 0 | |
| NO CANDIDATE | REP | 0 |
Pottsville Area School District Election
The following 6 candidates have cross-filed as Democrats and Republicans for the primary election: Mike Cardamone, Linda Wytovich, Ann M. Blankenhorn, Ashley Dewitt, Craig S. Shields, and Bob Hoppe. They’re after 5 seats on the Pottsville Area School District school board.
UNOFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Win (*) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Blankenhorn | REP | 910 | WIN |
| Linda Wytovich | REP | 823 | WIN |
| Mike Cardamone | REP | 769 | WIN |
| Craig Shields | REP | 763 | WIN |
| Ashley Dewitt | REP | 736 | WIN |
| Bob Hoppe | REP | 684 | |
| Linda Wytovich | DEM | 927 | WIN |
| Ann Blankenhorn | DEM | 918 | WIN |
| Craig Shields | DEM | 878 | WIN |
| Ashley Dewitt | DEM | 846 | WIN |
| Mike Cardamone | DEM | 802 | WIN |
| Bob Hoppe | DEM | 707 |
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