LOU BARLETTA

BY ROBERT L. BAKER

Wyoming County Press Examiner

TUNKHANNOCK – It was nearly a clean sweep for Republicans in last Tuesday’s general election.

Only in the State House 114^th District race did a Democrat emerge victorious as Sid Michaels Kavulich ran unopposed and garnered 426 votes, with three write-ins cast. (The district only includes from Wyoming County, the two precincts in Factoryville.)

SANDRA MAJOR

In the State House 111^th District race, Republican incumbent Sandra Major beat back a challenge from Democrat newcomer Jeffrey Dahlander 5,637-to-2,336, along with 27 write-ins.

And, in the State House 117^th District race, Republican Karen Boback, running unopposed on the ballot, picked up 3,197 votes compared to 38 write-ins.

The Wyoming County Election Board met Friday and added 656 absentee and/or provisional ballots to what was tabulated Tuesday night.

That revised voter turnout in this week’s election to 69.72 percent of those registered, but did not change the outcomes of races.

Some 12,031 persons cast ballots out of 17,255 registered voters.

The Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan GOP ticket widened its lead in the presidential race over Barack Obama/Joe Biden Democratic ticket to a 6,586-5,060 vote (or 55.26-42.45 percent) margin.

Tuesday night’s tabulation reflected a 54.95-42.73 percent edge for the GOP. However, the Obama ticket unofficially took Pennsylvania, 52.0-46.8 percent.

In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Tom Smith held a 6,390-5,116 vote margin over Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. However, Casey unofficially took Pennsylvania, 53.7-44.6 percent.

In the state races, the best performance by a Democrat was Kathleen Kane who received 5,548 votes (or 47.37 percent) in the attorney general’s race to Republican David Freed’s 5,776 (or 49.31 percent). Kane held the edge in 10 of the county’s 30 precincts: Clinton, Exeter, Factoryville #1 and #2, Falls #2, Lemon, Nicholson Boro #1 and #2, Overfield and Tunkhannock Twp. #1.

Kane, however, prevailed statewide, 56.1-41.6 percent, to become the first Democrat and the first female to be elected attorney general since the position was made an elective post in 1980.

In the auditor general’s race, Republican John Maher topped Democrat Eugene DePasquale. By a 6,604-4,205 vote margin. However, statewide Depasquale outpolled Maher by a 49.7-46.5 percent margin.

In the state treasurer’s race, Republican Diana Irey Vaughn beat incumbent Democrat Robert McCord, 6,272-4,560 in Wyoming County. But, she lost in statewide balloting, by a 52.6-44.0 percent margin.

Wyoming County voters also elected a new Congressman thanks to gerrymandering following the 2010 census that places it in a sprawling 11^th District that stretches from Nicholson southwestward to Shippensburg.

In the 11^th District race, Lou Barletta received 7,234 votes (or 61.88 percent) to Democratic Gene Stilp’s 4,441 votes (or 37.99 percent).

Elections Director Florence Ball said the Friday results were still unofficial as military and overseas ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 can still be counted so long as they are received by Nov. 13.