Five county attorneys are seeking the nomination to fill a vacancy brought after the retirement of Judge D. Michael Stine as an Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County.

There is also a spirited contest in next Tuesday's primary election among eight candidates for a district justice seat in the Frackville-Ashland area and there are contests for a seat on the state Superior Court and Commonwealth Court.County racesAlthough candidates for judge can cross file on the Republican and Democratic ballots, only four of the five candidates are running on both ballets for the county court seat.They are James P. Goodman, Pottsville, the current county district attorney; James G. Conville, Port Carbon; Gary D. Marchalk, Tamaqua; and Cal Shields, Pottsville, former county district attorney.Joining the foursome on the Republican ballot is Lloyd R. Hampton, Ashland, former chairman of the county Republican Party.With District Justice Bernadette Nahas retiring her seat in Magisterial District 21-2-01, seven of the eight candidates have cross-filed for the six-year seat. The district includes the boroughs of Ashland, Frackville, Gilberton, Girardville, Gordon and Ringtown and the townships of Butler, North Union, Ryan, Union, South Manheim, Walker, Wayne and West Brunswick.They are, Attorney Karen Noon, Ashland; Attorney Karen L. Domalakes, Frackville; Attorney John M. Hampton, Gordon; Attorney Anthony Tony J. Urban, Butler Township, Mary Lou R. Hannon, Gilberton; and Vincent Roman, Frackville. Philip Beaver, Ringtown, appears only on the Republican ballot.There are no contests in three other magisterial district justice seats, and incumbents are the lone candidates.Magisterial District 21-3-03, which is comprised of the boroughs of Auburn, Cressona, Deer Lake, Landingville, New Ringgold, Orwigsburg, Port Carbon, Port Clinton and Schuylkill Haven and townships of East Brunswick, North Mannheim, South Mannheim, Walker, Wayne and West Brunswick Townships, District Judge James R. Ferrier, Wayne Township, has no contested races.District Justice Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, is unopposed on both ballots for Magisterial District 21-3-06, which includes the boroughs of Coaldale, McAdoo and Tamaqua and townships of Kline and Rush Township.There are no contested races in Magisterial District 21-3-07, which includes the borough of Mount Carbon and City of Pottsville, as District Judge Jimmy Reiley, Pottsville, is unopposed on both ballots.State raceDavid M. Wecht, of Pittsburgh, is unopposed to gain a seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, but on the Democratic ballot, there is a contest between Kathryn Boockvar, of Doylestown, and Barbara Behrend Ernsberger, Pittsburgh, since one is to be nominated.