SHAMOKIN - Four candidates for Shamokin Area School Board won the nominations for both the Democratic and Republican parties in Tuesday's primary election.
Barring any changes when the official count is made by election officials, the winners
are Ed Griffiths, Rich Kashnoski, Rosalie Smoogen and Matt Losiewicz.
If the results hold firm and the four are the official nominees, they've all but wrapped up the general election, too, since there are four terms to be filled in November.
Tuesday's results mean the current school board president, Brian Persing, will be out of office when the board reorganizes in December.
Griffiths led all vote-getters with 846 votes from Democrats and 583 from Republicans. He was followed by Kashnoski with 633 and 492, Smoogen with 596 and 420 and Losiewicz with 499 and 398.
There is a potential for shake up at the bottom, where Losiewicz barely edged out two challengers, including Diane Serafin on the Republican ticket by just two votes. He unofficially out-gained Serafin and Mark Anonia by 15 and 13 votes, respectively, on the Democratic ballot.
Serafin received 484 votes from Democrats and 396 from Republicans, Anonia 486 and 378, Persing 443 and 327 and Sol Bidding 412 and 271.
Griffiths is currently in his third term. He said Tuesday he was humbled by the results.
"I just can't say enough about the people of this area that have so much confidence in me," he said.
He congratulated the other candidates who were nominated and said he will work with everyone who takes office at Shamokin Area.
"I can work with anybody. We might not see eye to eye on everything but I can work with anybody," Griffiths said.
Kashnoski was seeking office for the first time and was elated to have won.
"You want the public to accept you, but at same time you're nervous to see if they agree with your points of view," he said.
"I'm feeling that it's time for some new insight, time for some programs to be brought back to life," Kashnoski said, referencing his hopes to restore art, music and physical education as stand-alone programs in the elementary and middle schools. Those programs were cut in last year's budget process.
Losiewicz and Smoogen were unavailable for comment Tuesday.
Persing said Tuesday he was taking the loss in stride but was surprised he wasn't nominated on at least one of the tickets.
He was proud to serve one term and proud of his accomplishments, referencing his fundraising efforts and his efforts with fellow directors to bolster security at district buildings, take over the educational programs at Northwestern Academy and privatize cafeteria services.
Persing said seeking election to a school board hinges largely on personality, and he believes hard feelings swung the election out of his favor.
"I would do everything exactly the same way. I thought I did a lot of good for the district," he said. "I love Shamokin Area, I love it. ... I will hold my head up high and represent the district through November, just like I've always done."