Next to watching paint dry, primary elections in Pennsylvania can be among the most boring events on the calendar. So, it is no mystery why even many registered voters yawn or don't pay attention, especially after the kind of exciting and memorable presidential election we had last November.

If history repeats itself, Republicans and Democrats will head to the polls May 16 in sparse numbers to choose their parties' nominees for the general election on Nov. 7.In most instances in our five-county region, contests are few and far between. In fact, in some communities, there aren't any candidates running for key offices, which means that these seats will be filled by write-ins or appointments early next year. East Side Borough and Weissport are the two among 23 municipalities in that category in Carbon County.On top of that, one in seven registered voters in the commonwealth, or roughly 1.2 million, will be unable to cast ballots because they are registered as independents or with minor political parties which have no status on the primary ballots.That's why Pennsylvania is called a "closed primary" state. Republicans can vote only for Republicans; Democrats can vote for only members of their own party. There are several exceptions where candidates can cross-file, meaning that they can seek positions on both parties' ballots. These are judicial offices, such as those who sit on the three state courts, judge of the local court of common pleas, district magistrates and school board members.In cases where candidates are running for an office in which cross-filing is not allowed but where there are few or no candidates in the opposite party, they will try to encourage their opposite-party friends to write-in their names giving them positions on both the Democratic and Republican ballots in the fall. In these cases, votes from both parties are counted as part of the overall total.At the state level, voters will cast ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Pennsylvania Superior Court and Commonwealth Court candidates. There are five candidates for four Superior Court seats in both parties, along with six Democrats and two Republican running for two Commonwealth Court seats. Emil Giordano of Northampton County is one of the five Republican candidates for Superior Court. The salary for judges on both courts is $191,422.In Carbon County, most interest focuses on the contests for Lehighton and Palmerton school boards. There are seven cross-filed candidates seeking both the Democratic and Republican nominations for four four-year terms in Palmerton. In the Lehighton race, 11 people are running on both tickets for the four-year terms. Seven of those, along with two others, are also on the ballot for the two-year terms. There also are contested races for seats on the Jim Thorpe, Weatherly and Hazleton area school boards.Contested municipal races will occur in Lansford, Summit Hill, Jim Thorpe and, Penn Forest, Towamensing and Lehigh townships.In the race for Carbon County register of wills, Democrats Connie Brown and Deborah Gigliotti, and Republicans Jean Papay and Duane Dellecker are facing off for spots on the fall ballot.In Schuylkill County, Republican candidate Joel Johnson withdrew from the Coaldale mayoral primary leaving Republican Herb Whildin as the only candidate on either ballot. Johnson remains a council candidate.There are mayoral and council contests in Tamaqua and a two-person supervisor race in West Penn Township.In Monroe County, Democrats Jennifer Shukaitis and Lisa Breunig are running for county treasurer, with the winner facing Republican Theresa Johnson in the fall.There are two district magistrate races in Monroe - one in the district that includes the four West End townships and the other which includes the Hamilton-Stroud district.There are nine cross-filed candidates for four four-year Pleasant Valley School Board seats. Seven of the nine also are candidates for one two-year seat.There is a Democratic supervisor contest in Eldred Township between two Democrats, and three Democrats are seeking the tax collector seat.In Lehigh County, Republicans Brad Osborne and Glenn Eckhart are seeking the county executive nomination, with the winner confronting PhillipsArmstrong in the fall. Incumbent Tom Muller, a Democrat, chose not to run for re-election.There are Republican and Democratic contests for Washington Township supervisor.In Northampton County, five people are running for four county council seats in each party.In Lehigh Township, two Republicans are vying for a six-year supervisor seat, and four Democrats are seeking a four-year supervisor seat.While these primaries may be yawners where there are no contests, your voice must be heard where choices need to be made.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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