Two private-practice attorneys will battle it out in November for an open seat on the Berks County Court of Common Pleas.
Four candidates were on the ballot in the May 16 primary election, with one Democrat and one Republican coming out on top in their respective primaries, setting up a showdown in the general election.
Tina Boyd, 45, of Oley, won the Democratic primary with 6,743 votes. Kelly Kline, 43, of Exeter, finished second with 5,334 votes. Michael J. Cammarano Sr., 68, of Spring Township, finished third with 2,900 votes. Ben Nevius, 37, of Oley, trailed with 1,389 votes.
Nevius won the GOP nomination with 6,590 votes. Finishing second was Boyd with 5,550 votes. Third-place went to Kline with 2,645 votes. Cammarano finished with 2,985 votes.
All four candidates cross-filed in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Boyd, Kline and Cammarano are registered Democrats. Nevius was the only registered Republican on the ballot.
Common Please Court judges serve 10-year terms, after which they can seek a “yes-no” retention vote for another 10-year term. The current annual salary for county judges is $178,868.
There were also three contested races for district justice seats in southern and eastern Berks County on the May 16 ballot.
District 23-3-1
For District 23-3-1 based in Birdsboro, incumbent David E. Glass, 60, of Robeson Township, will retain his office because he won both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Glass was facing a challenge from Birdsboro Borough Councilman Peter Uhniat, 69, of Birdsboro.
Glass defeated Uhniat in the Democratic primary by a margin of 517 to 212 votes. Glass won the Republican nomination over Uhniat by an even bigger margin of 1,079 to 271 votes.
The district includes Brecknock, Caernarvon, Robeson and Union townships and Birdsboro and New Morgan boroughs.
District 23-3-2
For District 23-3-2, based in Boyertown, incumbent Michael G. Hartman, 62, of Washington Township, fought back a challenge from Charlie Maddona, 58, of Douglass Township, to win both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Hartman will be the only name listed on the November general election ballot, so barring a successful write-in challenge, he will retain his office for another six years.
Hartman defeated Madonna by a vote margin of 607 to 430 in the Democratic primary. Hartman bested Madonna by a vote margin of 796 to 640 in the Republican primary.
The district includes Colebrookdale, Douglass, Earl, Hereford and Washington townships and Bally, Bechtelsville and Boyertown boroughs.
District 23-3-3
For District 23-3-3, based in Oley, there will be a contest in November to decide the next district judge. Four candidates – Matthew James, Steven Chieffo, Daniel VanBilliard and David G. Krott – were running for an open seat to be vacated by District Judge Victor M. Frederick IV, who is not seeking re-election.
James won the Democratic primary and Chieffo won the Republican primary, setting up a contest in the November general election.
In the Democratic primary, James, 44, of Ruscombmanor, was the top vote-getter with 649 votes, followed by Chieffo, 46, of Amity, with 473 votes, VanBilliard, 47, of Longswamp, with 324 votes and Krott, 62, of Alsace, with 207 votes.
In the Republican primary, Chieffo won with 942 votes, followed by James with 484 votes, VanBilliard with 402 votes and Krott with 273 votes.
The district includes Alsace, Amity, District, Longswamp, Oley, Pike, Rockland and Ruscombmanor townships and Topton borough.
District justices serve for six years and are currently paid $89,438 annually.
