Attorney Beth A. Dodson of Summit Hill will be the next district justice in the Panther Valley, replacing longtime Judge Casimir T. Kosciolek, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Dodson, who won the Republican nomination, received 2,598 votes, while her opponent, Billy O’Gurek also of Summit Hill where he serves on borough council, received 1,443 votes, according to unofficial tallies in Tuesday’s balloting.

Dodson, who said she met many good people while campaigning to be the next magisterial district judge, and found that people just want their communities to be safe and places they can be proud of.

“District court is a place they can have their disputes resolved fairly, equitably, and impartially,” Dodson said.

Dodson thanked her parents, Liz and Jim Dodson, for all their support, as well as all of her friends and family who took an active role and helped with her campaign. Her father, she said, served as her campaign manager.

“I couldn’t have done this without their support,” she said.

Dodson also thanked all of the candidates who ran for the district judge this year. She and O’Gurek started out in a field of seven candidates in Primary back in May.

“They cared enough to run and make a our community a better place,” she said, adding that she also wanted to thank the Republican leadership for their advice and support in what was her first bid for public office and running a campaign.

Dodson, who has her own law practice in Summit Hill, had the endorsements of the Fraternal Order of the Police Schuylkill/Carbon Lodge No. 13, and Union Iron Workers and Carbon County register of wills.

Both Dodson and O’Gurek, a state Children & Youth Service auditor, cited an investment in the community and desire work to make the Panther Valley communities safe.

The Magisterial district court 56-3-03 covers Lansford, Nesquehoning, Summit Hill, East Penn and Mahoning. District court is the first level of court in the Pennsylvania legal system. The position pays $106,254 a year.

The other district judges in Carbon County, Eric Schantz, Magisterial District Court 56-3-01 in Jim Thorpe, and Bill Kissner, Magisterial District Court, 56-3-02 in Palmerton, ran unopposed. With all precincts reporting, Schantz received 4,132 votes and Kissner received 3,344.