MERCER COUNTY — Hermitage is not exactly the Wild West, but William E. Finzel was more lucky on the draw than Tim Ruffo in the showdown for a Hermitage commissioner seat.
The men tied for third in the Nov. 3 election, requiring Mercer County election officials to cast lots to determine the winner.
Finzel, who got to go first by virtue of alphabetical order, stuck his hand into an American flag-decorated bag and pulled out a yellow ping pong ball with a number “1” on it, giving him the seat.
Ruffo plucked the “2” ball afterward, although everyone knew there was only one ball left.
Ruffo, a Democrat, put his hand on Finzel’s shoulder, grabbed Finzel’s hand to shake it and offered “Congratulations.”
“Tim is a good man,” Finzel, a Republican, said after the draw. “We get along really good.”
“It was exciting,” Ruffo said. “I’m a little bit upset that I lost, but I’m happy for Bill. He’s a good guy.”
Finzel, who is completing a four-year term, won a two-year term. Ruffo is completing a two-year term.
“I’ll enjoy it for two more years,” Finzel said.
“I enjoyed the two years I was on the board,” Ruffo said,” and I wish Rhonda (Paglia) the best in her four years. I’m pretty sure she’ll do a good job.”
Finzel joins Republican Rita L. Ferringer and Mrs. Paglia, a Democrat, who won four-year seats. The four top candidates fell within 42 votes of each other.
“It’s a great story about how every vote counts,” said Mercer County Director of Registration and Elections Jeff Greenburg. “It sure is unusual in a race that size to have a tie.”
Finzel said he wasn’t sure about the lot-casting process beforehand, but it turned out to be OK.
Finzel declined to list his priorities for the next term. “I know what I’m going to do, but I’m not going to tell you because you’ll write it,” hequipped.
In other ties broken Friday by the casting of lots: • Coolspring Township auditor — Carol Hackett outdrew J.A. Janzig.
• Deer Creek Township constable — Barry Robert Nissly over Justin Zaker, Thomas Harvey and Aaron Rumsey.
• East Lackawannock Township auditor — Marie Forsyth over Mary Leighty, Ronald E. Bequeath and Cyndi L. Watson.
• Farrell precinct 1-3 minority inspector of elections — Monica Y. Williams over Virginia Gilmore.
• French Creek Township auditor — Douglas J. Vettorel over Barb Downie.
• Greene Township constable — Don Shine over Charles Enterline.
• Greenville precinct 1 inspector of elections — John McDonald won majority inspector and Douglas Lewis won minority inspector over Shirley McMunn and Robert Drake.
• Greenville precinct 2 minority inspector of elections — Ron Mead over John Hauser.
• Grove City precinct 3 judge of elections — Nancy Covert over William Conger.
• Grove City precinct 5 minority inspector of elections — Elaine Timulak over Todd Wood and Helen Louise Campbell.
• Hermitage precinct NW-4 minority inspector of elections — Robin Edwards over John Hamelly.
• Jackson Center auditor — Carolyn Jones over Karen L. McAfoose, Wilmette Paddock, Brian McIntyre and Linda Heckman.
• Jackson Center constable — Richard Kearns over Jerry Heckman.
• Jackson Township constable — Christopher Miller over Edward Starr and Brian Patterson.
• Mercer assessor — James Carter over Matt Grossman.
• Mercer north inspector of elections — Patricia Jean Martin named majority inspector and Constance R. Magnelli, minority inspector.
• New Lebanon constable — John Slemenda Jr. over David Klasen.
• New Lebanon minority inspector of elections — Betty Roth over Valerie Lower.
• New Vernon Township constable — Marshall K. Warman over Kevin Sheets.
• Perry Township constable — Todd Jordan over Robert E. Cook.
• Pine Township precinct 1 inspector of elections — Cynthia McFeely named majority inspector and Jamie Dailey named minority inspector over Edward Surrena Sr.
• Reynolds School District, representing West Salem Township, Carol Weber defeated John Giegel.
• Salem Township constable — Charles Douglas Gravatt over John L. Kerns II.
• Sharon precinct 2-1 inspector of elections — Mark Dye named majority inspector and Wayne Stratos named minority inspector over Joshua Wareham.
• Sharon precinct 2-3 minority inspector of elections — Randolph Ebert over Gary Douglas.
• Sharon precinct 2-5 inspector of elections — Ann-Marie Williamson named majority inspector and Samuel Bowser named minority inspector.
• Sharon precinct 4-2 minority inspector of elections — Edward Roberson over Margaret Jean Rufenacht.
• Sharpsville assessor — William J. Johnston over James Hogue, Erin Phibbs, Brad Miller, Ronald Zagger and John Hubicz.
• Sharpsville precinct 4 inspector of elections — Catherine L. Smith named majority inspector and James Hogue named minority inspector.
• Shenango Township east precinct inspector of elections — Michael S. Hrishenko named majority inspector and Gail Allen named minority inspector.
• West Middlesex constable — Christopher W. Thomas over Jack Charles Womer.
• West Salem Township auditor — Charles Murrin over Richard Webber and John Geigel.
• Wilmington Township constable — John Richardson over Forrest Minteer and David Boling.
• Wolf Creek Township auditor — David McDowell over Charlotte Morton.
• Worth Township constable — Raymond Borkowski over Brenda Minor and George Whitehouse.
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Luck of the draw
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