Here are some updates about the local elections from the Adams County Democratic Committee
Please note that, although overall Democrats did well, a couple of Democratic school board candidates were kicked off the fall ballot by Republican cross-filers. We need to better recruit and better support these candidates.
Primary Election Recap:
Turnout was low across the board, but Democrats had a stronger showing (27.5%) than Republicans (21.5%) in Adams County. While that’s encouraging, we must continue working to boost voter participation in every election.
Unfortunately, Republican Paul Royer will appear on the Democratic line for County Judge this November, athough he lost the Republican primary to Torren Ecker, Royer’s 100 Democratic petition signatures allowed him to appear on our primary ballot—where 4,000 Democrats mistakenly supported him.
Matthew Harvey, another Republican, cross-filed for Magisterial District Judge and received 821 votes from Democrats.
🗳️ Reminder: In Pennsylvania, school board and judicial candidates may cross-file and appear on both party ballots. This confusing process continues to impact voter decisions, and we must do more to educate our base.
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School Board Races
🟦 Gettysburg Area School District
Congratulations to our full slate of Democrats advancing to November:
• Kathleen Pratt
• Julieta Booz
• Char Weise
• Dale Brennan
No Republican cross-filers displaced our candidates, though Kathleen Pratt narrowly missed placing above one Republican by just 20 votes.
🟦 Other School Districts:
• Bermudian Springs (Region 1): Congrats to Mary Carder.
• Conewago Valley (Region 1): A Republican cross-filer will appear as a Democrat.
• Conewago Valley (Region 2): Democrat Justin McHugh was outvoted by two Republican cross-filers and will not appear in November.
• Fairfield: A Republican cross-filer will also appear as a Democrat.
• Littlestown: Top vote-getters include Democrats Brian Lawyer, Carl Thompson, and newcomer Rachel Hutchison. Two Republican cross-filers also advance.
• Upper Adams: Democrats Rachel Elliott and Eric Markle earned spots on the November ballot, alongside two collaborating Republicans to complete the four-person slate.
Let’s continue pushing for clarity, voter engagement, and strong representation this fall.
Upcoming Rallies & Event Schedule
Join us for our “Rallies for the People” on the following Saturdays:
• June 7
• June 14
• June 28
📌 Please note:
• No rally on Saturday, May 31, as we’ll be participating in Gettysburg PRIDE. We’ll have a booth at the event—please come out and support!
• No rally on Saturday, June 21 due to our Annual Democratic Committee Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.
🎁 We are collecting donations of non-perishable food and hygiene products at each rally for SCCAP. Please bring your contributions to our table near the ACNB Bank.
With economic challenges ahead, your donations can make a real difference for our neighbors in need.
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Volunteer Openings at Headquarters
ACDC is looking for help staffing our office! Open shifts:
• Mondays from 2:00–4:00 PM
• Fridays from 12:00–2:00 PM
If you’re interested in supporting voters and visitors during these times, reply to this message. We’ll schedule a brief training session.