Three contested races in Lansford Borough and a four-person race for three Democratic nominations for seats on the Summit Hill Borough Council highlight the municipal ballot in the Panther Valley area for the primary election that will be held on Tuesday.

The Lansford challenges include two people each seeking the Democratic nominations for mayor and tax collector, as well as a five-candidate runoff for three Democratic nominations for borough council positions.Lansford BoroughDemocratic Mayor James Romankow is seeking re-election to another four-year term of office, but faces a challenge from within his party from Bob Silver. The winner of that race will face Republican Ronald R. Derr Jr., who in unopposed on the GOP ballot.Another incumbent officeholder, Democratic tax collector Terrance P. McCall, has primary opposition. Appointed to the borough council in 2016 after the retirement of Daniel Wynn, McCall has been the borough's tax collector for the past 16 months and is seeking his own four-year term, but is being challenged on that party's ballot by Donna Valent. There is no Republican candidate.In the borough council race, five Democrats are running for three nominations for four-year terms. They include Marie Ondrus, Joseph Genits, Silver, incumbent councilwoman Rose Mary Cannon and Mary Soberick.The top three finishers will square off against two Republicans, including council president Martin S. Ditsky and newcomer Irma J. Leibensperger.Summit Hill BoroughThere are four people running for three Democratic nominations for four-year terms in Summit Hill.They include incumbents William J. O'Gurek Jr., John J. O'Gurek and William H. Chapman. Challenging them is Debra Ranck. There are no Republican candidates.Mayor Paul R. McArdle is running for re-election to another four-year term. A Democrat, he is unopposed both within his own party and among Republicans.The apparent successor to longtime tax collector Alice Kane is Kathleen R. Crampsie. Kane is retiring after many terms of office and Crampsie, a Democrat, is aspiring to the four-year term. She is unopposed on both tickets.Nesquehoning BoroughThere are no contests in Nesquehoning this time around. In fact, there is a shortage of candidates to fill the borough council, where three members are slated to be elected.Also, no candidates appear on the Democratic or Republican ballots for the four-year term as mayor. That's because incumbent Mayor Sam Kitchko is an Independent, and while running for re-election, won't appear on the ballot until November. No one is challenging him.The only council candidate is incumbent Rosemary Porembo, a Democrat. Each party has three nominations up for grabs.Tax collector Patricia R. Vito, a Democrat, is running for re-election to another four-year term. She is unopposed on both ballots.Panther Valley School BoardVoters on Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill will join those in Coaldale in voting for at-large positions on the Panther Valley School District Board of Education. There are four four-year terms to be decided, but there are only four candidates seeking the positions.Each of them is cross-filed on the Democratic and Republican ballots, virtually assuring their nominations. They include Christopher Kerestes and Keith Krapf, who were both appointed to the board to fill unexpired terms caused by resignations, incumbent Irene A. Genther and newcomer William J. Mansberry Jr.