Write-in votes will play a role in the 2025 general election for members of Murrysville and Delmont councils.
In Murrysville, incumbent Republican Jamie Lingg did not receive enough votes on the GOP ballot, but, according to unofficial results from the county election bureau, she received 54 Democratic write-in votes.
That earned her a spot on the general election ballot with Darren Miller (99 write-in votes), Jason Lemak (65) and Michael Korns (51).
Miller, Lemak and Korns, who also are registered as Republicans, will appear on the ballot as Republicans alongside Loren Kase.
“I’m excited,” Lingg said. “I worked hard on my campaign, just like I did as a council member. I don’t think it matters what letter goes behind the name on the ballot, because local government is about doing what’s best for the community and the community’s wallet. And I think planning is the other big part of it. I’m excited to hopefully keep working for the residents of Murrysville.”
Delmont ballot
Next door in Delmont, this year’s council race had four open seats but only two candidates running to fill them. Republicans Tina Campbell and Andrew Shissler took the top two spots, but former council members Pamela Simpson and Julie Walczer received 59 and 51 votes, respectively.
Walczer said she and other residents have been critical of the borough’s recent stormwater fee.
“It’s not a fee. It’s a tax,” she said. “Our roads are falling apart, and we just don’t agree with the way things are being managed.”
Simpson and Walczer also received the most write-in votes in the Democratic primary at 21 and 11, respectively. In addition, Walczer’s husband, Robert, received 11 votes.
“We both are interested in running,” Walczer said. “We both have been on council before. We used to have everything here in town. We used to have four grocery stores, and now we just don’t have much of anything.”
