It took just one ballot Tuesday for the Lancaster County Republican Committee to endorse candidates to fill four of the six Lancaster County judge seats on the ballot this year.

The two other judge endorsements were decided two hours and three ballots later.

The county Republican Committee met Tuesday at Farm and Home Center in Manheim Township to endorse candidates for judge and other county offices for the May primary.

District Attorney Donald Totaro was the top vote-getter among the four candidates who received the party's backing on the first ballot.

The others were Margaret Concannon Miller, an attorney in a private practice; Christopher A. Hackman, an assistant district attorney; and Jeffrey D. Wright, a civil law attorney.

Jeffrey J. Reich, an attorney in private practice, and defense attorney Howard Knisely had to sweat it out for a couple of hours before receiving the committee's backing.

"It's an honor to receive the endorsement of the Republican Committee," Totaro said. "Now, we'll take our message to the voters of Lancaster County."

Hackman said he believes his message resonated well with the county committee.

"I stressed with the committee my extensive courtroom experience and my desire to see the court system as it moves into the future and is restructured so that it is efficient and accountable to the taxpayers," he said.

Wright praised the endorsement process.

"I think the Republican Committee worked very hard in doing homework on the backgrounds and credentials of all the judicial candidates," he said.

When the endorsements were finally completed, Reich said, "I'm glad (the process) is there because otherwise, it's a total wild card, and nobody looks at candidates as closely as these committees do."

Miller said she was gratified the committee responded to her message.

"I think overall that I brought a message that we need temperament, integrity and intellect on the bench because six new judges are going to have a very significant impact on our county bench," she said.

Four of the six seats will be open because Judges Paul K. Allison, Wayne G. Hummer, Michael Georgelis and Michael Perezous are retiring. The two other seats are newly created positions.

The endorsement process began with 14 candidates seeking the six slots. Before the voting began, an announcement was made that John Stengel had asked to be withdrawn from consideration.

The candidates who remained in the running but did not receive endorsements were Kevin Allen, Len Brown, Anne Cooper, Heidi Eakin, M. Lucile Longo, David Miller and Gerald Robinson.

Longo and Robinson have pledged to continue in the race for judge.

Robinson, a private-practice attorney, said he feels he's well-qualified for the bench.

"There is no (other) candidate for judge with more experience than me," he said after the balloting.

Longo, a family attorney, said she will continue her candidacy because the bench needs diversity.

"It's still an old boys' network, and that needs to change," she said. "Not one of those candidates have any family law experience. We need someone with family law experience on the bench."

The candidates who remain in the race will turn their attention to the May 15 primary.

Judges elected in the November general election will take office in January 2008.

They are expected to earn more than $141,000 a year, up from their current salary of $135,293.

E-mail Nathan Lee Gadsden at ngadsden@lnpnews.com.