Schools

Who's Seeking a Spot—And Who's Not—On the Pine-Richland School Board

No one has filed to run for two open seats on the board

The following information was provided by the Allegheny County Elections Division. 

Primary election day is Tuesday, May 21. The general election is Tuesday, Nov 5. Below a breakdown of who is running for the Pine-Richland School Board—and who isn’t.

Incumbent school board members Stephan Hawbaker, who has served on the board since 2001, and Dr. Jeffrey Banyas, elected in 2009, will not to run again in 2013. Both of their four-year terms expire later this year.

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Election records show no one had filed a ballot in the primary election to run for Hawbaker’s position representing Region 3 in Richland Township.

Banyas’ seat is one of two up for grabs to represent Region 2 in Pine and Richland townships.

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While incumbent Dennis Sundo has cross-filed on the Republican and Democratic ticket seeking re-election to the Region 2 seat representing Pine, no one has filed a petition in the spring primary to run for Baynas’ seat on the board, according to election records.

Because no candidates filed paperwork to run for these two open seats, a person could get on the November ballot with a write-in campaign. A write-in candidate needs only 10 votes to appear on the ballot in the general election.

If there are no write-in candidates for the open seats in the general election, the school board may appoint replacements.

In Region 1 representing Pine Township, incumbent Katie Shogan, who was appointed to the board last May to replace Director Richard Herko, has cross-filed on both Republican and Democratic ballot for the four-year term.

She’ll face off in the primary election against newcomer Gregory DiTullio, who filed to run on the Republican ticket only.

Because she cross-filed, Shogan would still move on to the general election in November on the Democratic ticket if DiTullio wins the Republican nomination in the primary election.

However, if Shogan wins the Republican nomination in the spring primary, DiTullio would be out of the race. Shogun would then move on to the general election unopposed, barring a write-in campaign.

Incumbent Marc Casciani, who filed as a Republican only, is running unopposed for a two-year term representing Region 1 in Pine Township.

Casciani was first appointed to the board in September 2012 to replace last August during his second term on the board.

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