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Magisterial judge election roundup and local results

3 min read
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Jim Saieva

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Eric Porter

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Michael Manfredi

The only contested race in Washington County for magisterial judge divided Canonsburg in half, as the two candidates were both Canonsburg police officers.

In a close race Tuesday, Jim Saieva, a Republican who recently retired from the borough’s police department after 25 years, won the six-year term with 3,108 votes, or 51%, after a count Wednesday of absentee ballots. He defeated Democratic opponent Chuckie Tenny, whose 3,007 votes was good for 49%.

Saieva picked up 79 absentee votes from election night totals, while Tenny gained 102.

Tenny, 49, of Canonsburg, remains a detective/sergeant in the department and has been a member of the force for 25 years.

Saieva, 50, of Houston, was wounded in the November 2016 shooting that took the life of Canonsburg police Officer Scott L. Bashioum. The two of them had been responding to a domestic dispute at a home on Woodcrest Drive when they were shot.

Saieva, who did not return a phone call Wednesday, won the Republican nomination in the May 21 primary for the magisterial position vacated by retired District Judge David Mark.

Saieva retired from the police department Sept. 1.

In addition to Houston and Canonsburg, the magisterial district includes Chartiers and Canton townships.

In the other three magisterial judge elections, the candidates ran unopposed for the position which earns a $91,597 salary.

Eric Porter, 45, of Fallowfield Township, was elected magisterial district judge of court 27-01-03, which oversees Allenport, Charleroi, Dunlevy, Elco, Fallowfield, North Charleroi, Roscoe, Speers, Stockdale and Twilight. Porter is Charleroi Regional Police chief and has worked in law enforcement more than 20 years.

Judge Joshua Kanalis was reelected to Magisterial District 27-3-03, which includes California, Centerville, Coal Center, East Bethlehem, Long Branch and West Brownsville.

Michael Manfredi, a South Strabane police officer, was elected magisterial district judge of 27-3-05, which includes East Washington, South Strabane and North Strabane. Former Judge Jay Weller retired from the position in January after 25 years.

In contested municipal races in the suburbs, Republican Dee Frazee Sr. prevailed in his bid for a six-year term on the Amwell Township board of supervisors, besting Democrat James Ross 431 to 372.

Democrat Cindy Fisher won another term on the Cecil Township board of supervisors with 1,831 votes to Republican Darlene Barni’s 1,523, and Republican Mike Quinn had 669 votes to Democrat Richard Haskey’s 415 for a seat on the North Franklin board of supervisors.

Republican Mark Murphy, with 1,489, defeated Democrat Kathy Pienkowski, 994 votes, for a seat on the South Strabane Township board of supervisors. And Emily L. Holmes, a Democrat, had 1,763 votes to Republican Robert Balogh’s 1,619.

All election-night and absentee ballot results are unofficial until certified.

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