The spotlight on this year's Municipal Primary Election in Schuylkill County centers on the contests for the offices of district attorney and sheriff.

There is also an important contest statewide for election of a judge of the Superior Court; and locally the election of a mayor and council members in boroughs, and supervisors and auditors in townships. Also, up for election are tax collectors for all the townships and boroughs and school directors in the 12 county public school districts.Candidates for the two important offices in the county have already been announced by the two major political parties.The Democrats are out to re-elect two incumbents, Sheriff Joseph G. Groody and District Attorney Karen Byrnes Noon.At a recent dinner the Republicans announced Pat Reynolds as its candidate for sheriff and attorney Christine M. Holman for district attorney.Both Democrats gained their seats by appointments.Groody was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Francis McAndrews, when he became a county commissioner, and is now seeking his second full term of four years. Byrnes was appointed to fill the unexpired term of James Goodman when he became a county judge and is running for her first four-year term. Holman is currently an assistant county solicitor. Reynolds is currently a constable in Branch Township.Attorney Vic Stabile, Mechanicsburg, a former deputy attorney in the state attorney general's office, announced as the Republican candidate for judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court.The first day for candidates to circulate petitions to have their names placed on the ballot for the election, which will be held Tuesday, May 21, was Feb. 19, and the last day to circulate the petitions is March 13.The offices to be filled in area boroughs are as follows:Coaldale Mayor, tax collector, and three council persons for four-year terms, and one council person for two-year term.Mahanoy City Mayor, tax collector, and three council persons for four-year term.McAdoo Mayor, tax collector, and three council persons for four-year term.Middleport Mayor, tax collector, and three council persons for four-year term.New Philadelphia Mayor, tax collector, and four council persons for four-year termsNew Ringgold Mayor, tax collector, and two council persons for four-year terms.Tamaqua Mayor, tax collector, and three council persons for four-year terms, one council person for a two-year term, and one auditor for a six-year term.Offices to be filled in area townships are as follows:Blythe Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.Delano Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.East Brunswick Supervisor, six-year term; tax collector, four-year term; auditor, six-year term; auditor, four-year term and auditor, two-year term.East Union Supervisor, six-year term; tax collector, four-year term; auditor, six-year term; auditor, four-year term and auditor, four-year term.Kline Supervisor, six-year term; tax collector, four-year term; auditor, six-year term and auditor, two-year term.North Union Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.Rush Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.Ryan Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.Schuylkill Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.Walker Supervisor for a six-year term and tax collector for a four-year term.West Penn Supervisor and auditor for six-year terms and tax collector for a four-year term.School Districts from the area will be nominating directors to full terms and filling unexpired terms as follow:Blue Mountain (Auburn, Cressona, Deer Lake, New Ringgold and Orwigsburg Boroughs and East Brunswick, North Manheim, Wayne and West Brunswick townships) four directors for four-year terms.Hazleton Area (Luzerne County and McAdoo, and East Union, North Union and Kline townships in Schuylkill County) Candidates file their petitions in Luzerne County Election Bureau. Four directors for four-year terms.Mahanoy Area (Mahanoy City and Gilberton boroughs and Delano, Mahanoy and Ryan townships and Elixir District only in Rush Township) four directors for four-year terms.Panther Valley (Carbon County and Coaldale in Schuylkill County) Petitions to be filed in Carbon County Election Bureau. Four directors for four-year terms.Tamaqua Area (Tamaqua, and Rush Township-East District, Rush Township-West District, Walker Township and West Penn townships) Four directors for four-year terms.