Two deputies will vie for sheriff in fall

Two Lackawanna County deputy sheriffs will compete for the post in November after winning primary election victories on Tuesday.

Chief Deputy Dominick Manetti easily won the Republican nomination for sheriff and deputy Mark McAndrew prevailed in a close Democratic contest, according to unofficial returns.

Meanwhile, the Democratic race for register of wills concluded in an apparent victory for Fran Kovaleski, of Jessup. Ms. Kovaleski, the top deputy for the last 18 years to retiring Register of Wills Linda Munley, defeated three other candidates and nudged Dunmore Councilman Paul Nardozzi by about 950 votes, unofficial totals indicate.

In the fall election, Ms. Kovaleski will face Republican Christopher Arnone, of Jefferson Twp., who was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

In the sheriff's contest Mr. Manetti, of Old Forge, bested insurance executive Joseph Albert by about 11 percent in the GOP race, totals show. In the Democratic contest, results indicate Mr. McAndrew, of Mayfield, captured about 38 percent of the vote in a race against county detective Nicholas DeSando and former county detective Rob Mazzoni.

County voters cleared the way for the nominees for row offices and sheriff to continue with fall campaigns after they soundly rejected ballot questions. The proposals would have consolidated the row offices next year under one administrator and made the sheriff's post an appointed job under the commissioners.

Also on Tuesday, Democratic incumbent Recorder of Deeds Evie Rafalko McNulty was unopposed for her party's nomination for a fifth term. Alicia DiLeo, of Scranton, ran without opposition for the Republican nod.

Republican District Attorney Andy Jarbola was virtually assured of election to a fourth full term. He won the Republican nomination and pursued a write-in campaign for the uncontested Democratic nomination.

Contact the writer: jhaggerty@timesshamrock.com

sheriff

Democrat

✔ Mark P. McAndrew 12,047

Rob Mazzoni 10,612

Nicholas D. DeSando 9,002

Republican

✔ Dominick Manetti 4,251

Joseph Albert 3,391

register of wills

Democrat

✔ Fran Kovaleski 11,054

Paul J. Nardozzi 10,105

Kim Harding Kelly 5,955

Michael F. Durkin 2,683

Republican

✔ Christopher Arnone 6,416

district attorney

Republican

✔ Andy Jarbola 8,171

recorder of deeds

Democrat

✔ Evie Rafalko McNulty 26,113

Republican

✔ Alicia A. DiLeo 6,673