Judicial, Sheriff Races Highlight 2021 Municipal Election in Schuylkill County

It’s Election Day in Schuylkill County and there are several intriguing races up for grabs on municipl ballots today.

Let’s take a look at what will be sending Schuylkill County voters to the polls today.

2021 Schuylkill County Municipal Election

There are several key countywide races on the ballot today in which all Schuylkill County voters will be choosing their preferred candidate.

In the race for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, there are 3 candidates on the ballot: Christina Hale, Chris Hobbs, and James Conville.

Based on recent elections in Schuylkill County, Conville, the Democrat on the ballot, will need a strong showing from his party and get more than a few Republican voters to cast their ballot for him over the two Republicans vying for the 2 seats available.

In the race for Schuylkill County Sheriff, incumbent Democrat Joseph Groody faces Republican Doug Litwhiler.

Litwhiler kept his name on the ballot despite a controversy that popped up the day after the Primary Election in the Spring. Several women have accused Litwhiler of inappropriate sexual conduct. A Facebook page was created to spread these accusations, something Groody said he had no part in creating.

Litwhiler sued the Sheriff and those responsible for that Facebook page but that defmation lawsuit was recently dismissed.

At one point, Litwhiler said he would drop out of the race and have his name removed from the ballot but ended up changing his mind, staying in the race.

Groody is a popular Sheriff, particularly in the northern part of Schuylkill County, and he’s the incumbent. So, it’s reasonable to assume his path to victory over Lithwhiler is easier than the road Conville faces if the Democrats are going to emerge victorious at the County level.

However, we’ll find out later Tuesday if voters are ready to start draining the Courthouse swamp entirely and pick an outsider for the Sheriff’s office.

Municipal Races

At the hyper local level, there are several – but not enough – contested races on ballots Tuesday.

We’ll be following the contested races in the following Schuylkill County municipalities tonight:

• Pottsville
• Ashland
• Branch Township
• Deer Lake
• East Union Township
• Foster Township
• Frackville
• Gilberton
• Mahanoy City
• Mahanoy Township
• McAdoo
• Mechanicsville
• Minersville
• Norwegian Township
• Pine Grove Township
• Schuylkill Haven
• Shenandoah
• South Manheim Township
• Tamaqua
• Tremont

School Board Races in Schuylkill County

These Schuylkill County school districts will be picking new board members in the 2021 Municipal Election:

• Blue Mountain
• Minersville Area

If you don’t see your municipality or school included here, it doesn’t mean there isn’t an election.

And that’s a bit of a problem. There are far too many elections being held today that are uncontested. There are almost just as many in which there are no candidates running for open seats on borough councils, board of township supervisors, and school boards.

Even the Schuylkill County District Attorney race is uncontested, though we’re not quite sure why that’s the case and if one has anything to do with the other.

Either way, it’s too late to change that for this year’s election. Be sure to go vote. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. across the county.

Be sure to check back with Coal Region Canary for updates on election results later tonight.

ELECTION RESULTS