Corbett and Wolf square off in race
Gov. Tom Corbett
Tom Wolf, left, Democratic candidate for governor, listens to Canon-McMillan Middle School Principal Greg Taranto, right, talk about the school’s technology programs and achievements as Michael Daniels, district superintendent, looks on, in Sept. of this year.
Even though the Nov. 4 general election will see voters select a governor, that, and the bid for lieutenant governor, may be the only hotly-contested races on the ballot in the South Hills.
Unlike the presidential election where the president and vice president run together, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania splits lieutenant governor and governor into two separate races.
For governor, voters will select incumbent Gov. Tom Corbett, 65, a Republican from Shaler Township, or Democrat Tom Wolf, also 65, of Mt. Wolf. The term is four years with an annual salary of $187,256.
Mark Wolosik, division manager of the Allegheny County Elections Department, predicts a voter turnout of about 45 percent for the 892,916 registered county voters. He bases the prediction on the previous turnouts for the last four gubernatorial elections spanning 16 years.
The highest turnout was 52.3 percent in 2006 for the election of incumbent Democrat Ed Rendell and challenger Republican Lynn Swan. The lowest, a turnout of 42.5 percent, was in 2002 when Rendell beat Republican D. Michael Fisher, Wolosik said.
In Washington County, Larry Spahr, director of elections, is also predicting a turnout of about 45 percent of the 140,000 registered voters, even though the last two gubernatorial races saw about 47 percent of the voters go to the polls.
In the only other statewide race, incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley, 45, of Middletown Township in Bucks County, will take on Democrat Mike Stack, 51, of Philadelphia. The term, like governor, is four years and pays an annual salary of $157,293.
In the 18th Congressional District, incumbent Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, is running unopposed. The term is for four years and pays an annual salary of $174,000. The 18th District covers parts of Washington, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.
On the state level, in the 37th District state Sen. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, was elected to the state Senate in 2012 and is not up for reelection until 2016. Smith’s district also covers Peters Township in Washington County.
Incumbent state Sen. Tim Solobay, 58, of Canonsburg, a Democrat who represents the 46th District, is facing Republican Camera Bartolotta, 50, of Carroll Township for the four-year-term. The annual salary is $84,012 and covers parts of Greene, Washington and Beaver counties.
Half of the state Senate is elected very other year. The even numbered districts, such as the 46th, are up for election this year. Ten of the 25 senators up for reelection are running unopposed.
In the state House of Representatives, incumbent John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair, in District 40, is running unopposed. His district covers parts of Allegheny County and Peters Township in Washington County.
Fifty-six-year-old Rick Saccone, R-Elizabeth Township, who represents District 39, is running against Democrat Lisa Stout-Bashioum, 53, of Somerset Township. The district covers parts of Allegheny and Washington counties.
Daniel Miller, 42, a Democrat from Mt. Lebanon, is running unopposed for reelection in District 42.
In District 46, which covers parts of Washington County including Cecil Township in Washington County, and South Fayette Township in Allegheny County, incumbent 36-year-old Jesse White, D-Cecil Township, is being challenged by Jason Ortitay, 30, a Republican from South Fayette Township.
In District 48, which covers several communities in Washington County including Canonsburg, Houston, and Chartiers and North and South Strabane townships, 32-year-old incumbent Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, is being challenged by Republican Sonia Stopperich, 50, also of North Strabane.
Gubernatorial elections usually generate the second highest percentage of those who vote with the presidential election coming in the highest. The next presidential election is in 2016.
In Washington County, Spahr said the number of registered voters is down by about 14,000 this gubernatorial election.