Two years ago, Washington County Republicans took control of the County Commission and four row offices. Tuesday night, they swept the three remaining row offices with resounding victories.
County Controller: April Sloane over Ben Bright – 29,414 to 19,748
Recorder of Deeds: Carrie Perrell over Debbie Bardella – 26,898 to 22,470
County Sheriff: Tony Andronas over Lou Reda – 28,225 to 21,585
Jesse Pettit was elected to a 10-year term on the Court of Common Pleas, replacing retired President Judge Katherine Emery.
Current Judge Gary Gilman won a retention vote for another 10-year term on the bench by a margin of 25,595 to 16,543.
Democrat Kelly Stewart won the only contested Magisterial District Judge race, beating Republican challenger Pat Puskarich, 1,548 to 1,468, to replace the retiring Bob Redlinger at the beginning of the year.
By a 70/30 margin, the Washington County Government Study Commission referendum was rejected by voters. The final vote was 33,623 to 14,198 against the study. Commissioners Diana Irey-Vaughan and Larry Maggi both supported the study proposal and were joined by a group called “Bipartisan Committee to Support Government Study.” But the Washington County Republican Party, touting the “home rule” wording in the referendum, drew parallels to Allegheny County and led to the question’s defeat.