Correction — In a tight primary race in Manheim Township, incumbent commissioner Rick Casselbury polled 101 votes more than the next nearest candidate, James M. Martin. The wrong number was included in the article below, posted on LancasterOnline Wednesday.

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In what seems to be a victory for growth in Manheim Township, two unendorsed Republican candidates won the party's nominations for three hotly contested seats as township commissioners.

Retired township manager Jim Martin and incumbent J. Michael Flanagan were two of the top three vote-getters in Tuesday's primary.

Incumbent Rick Casselbury, who received the township's GOP endorsement, drew 1,000 more votes than the second-place winner, Martin.

"Obviously I'm thrilled," Casselbury said Tuesday night. "I appreciate all the support I've gotten. The Republican party put in a lot of hard effort. It was a very tight race."

Martin and Flanagan ran almost neck and neck in the six-candidate race, with Martin coming out slightly ahead of Flanagan by 20 votes.

Flanagan, in fact, kept his spot on the ticket by just one vote, beating Gerry Robinson 1,478 to 1,477.

Robinson was endorsed by the township GOP, as was incumbent Nancy L. Keebler, who lost her nomination bid.

James Bohan, who placed last in the polling, was unendorsed.

Unofficial election results in the township were:

Rick Casselbury — 1,599
James M. Martin — 1,498
J. Michael Flanagan — 1,478
Gerry Robinson — 1,477
Nancy M. Keebler — 1,373
James F. Bohan — 1,311

Martin, Flanagan and Bohan, running as the Citizens Coalition for Effective Government, campaigned on the platform that development — including commercial — spurs increased tax revenue as well as an opportunity to have developers help pay for much-needed infrastructure improvements.

Their opponents, Keebler, Casselbury and newcomer Robinson, favored slowing growth.

Keebler said she would oppose any new commercial, high-rise-residential or high-density-housing development in the township.

Casselbury opposes rezoning an industrial zone to commercial retail, as was done twice recently to help make way for proposed shopping centers in the township. He also has said the township should adhere to its comprehensive plan when it comes to growth.

The 49-year-old owner of Universal Athletic Club congratulated Flanagan and Martin for their hard work in winning nominations as well.

"I respect them both, and I know I can work with them," Casselbury said.

Democrat Doreen Kreiner was unopposed Tuesday and will be running for one of the seats in November.

In another Manheim Township race, William G. Dorgan and Gregory Kuhns won the GOP nominations for two constable posts, easily defeating a challenge by Cesar DeJesus.

The unofficial results were:

William G. Dorgan — 1,679
Gregory Kuhns — 1,422
Cesar DeJesus — 1,088

West Earl Township

Incumbents John B. Ford and Russell L. Ressler Jr. won the GOP nominations. They had been challenged by former supervisor Richard Horst.

Unofficial election results in the township race were:

Russell L. Ressler Jr. — 151
John B. Ford — 141
Richard Horst — 101

Conoy Township

Incumbent Steve Mohr lost the GOP nomination for supervisor in Conoy Township to newcomer Kevin McKain. Mohr's colleague, incumbent Clyde H. Pickel, won a spot on the ticket.

Unofficial results were:

Kevin McKain  — 255
Clyde H. Pickel — 229
Steve Mohr  — 212

West Donegal Township

Two newcomers battled it out to replace outgoing supervisor Steve Speers.

Sixty-three-year-old Ralph Horne easily beat Michael L. Kuhn, 58, for the opportunity to run for the six-year position on the GOP ticket.

Unofficial results in West Donegal were:

Ralph Horne — 413
Michael L. Kuhn  — 193

East Cocalico Township

Incumbent Alan R. Fry squeaked past challenger Kenneth D. McCrea by just 18 votes in the GOP supervisors primary.

The unofficial vote in East Cocalico Township was:

Alan R. Fry  — 238
Kenneth D. McCrea  — 220

East Hempfield Township

Candidate Scott Russell, 39, who was endorsed by the township GOP committee, won a landslide victory over Lisa Shaw in the Republican race to fill the six-year term that will be vacated at the end of the year by supervisor Heidi Wheaton, who chose not to seek re-election.

Unofficial results Tuesday were:

H. Scott Russell — 1,134
Lisa Shaw — 292

Shaw said she believes the low voter turnout, coupled with Russell's winning the GOP committee endorsement, was a lethal one-two punch to her campaign efforts.

"It looks like there was only about a 10 percent turnout," she said. "When it's that low, you tend to mainly get the party people who are going to vote for the endorsed candidate."

In talking with township residents door to door and on the phone, Russell said people seemed to like the fact that he has extensive experience working with municipalities as an engineer specializing in transportation.

"Traffic problems caused by development was the primary issue residents told me they were concerned about," he said. "I got a lot of positive feedback on my professional experience in that field."

Russell will face Democrat Lisa McGowan, who was unopposed Tuesday, in the November general election.

Clay Township

There were two races for supervisor seats in Clay Township. One was for a full, six-year term and the other was for a two-year stint to complete the unexpired term of supervisor Jonathan Price, who resigned in February.

Unofficial results in the GOP race for the six-year term were:

Justin M. Harnish — 180
Richard Stehr — 126
Mark Siems — 10

Unofficial results in the GOP race for the two-year term were:

A. Keith Martin — 206
Earl C. Stauffer — 90
Jared W. Rottmund — 25

There were no Democrats on Tuesday's ballot for either seat.

Paradise Township

Voters in Paradise Township are picking two new supervisors this year to replace outgoing board members Kevin McClarigan and Carol Nicklaus.

McClarigan's son, Matthew, was one of the candidates in Tuesday's GOP race. Matthew McClarigan missed the chance to replace his father on the board by just two votes.

Allan D. Rohrer and Katherine Wood-Jacobs were the top vote-getters Tuesday and earned the right to run in November.

Unofficial results were:

Allan D. Rohrer — 135
Katherine Wood-Jacobs — 123
Matthew R. McClarigan — 121
Pat H. Heyer — 37
Joseph Williams — 14

There were no Democrats on the ballot.

Colerain Township

Incumbent Colerain Supervisor Scott Shoemaker withstood a challenge in Tuesday's GOP primary from Edgar Greenleaf and appears headed to another term on the board.

Unofficial results were:

Scott E. Shoemaker — 145
Edgar F. Ed Greenleaf — 72

There were no Democrats on the ballot.

Fulton Township

Just 50 votes separated the Republican challengers vying for the open seat on the Fulton Township board of supervisors.

And township road worker Mike Church came out on top.

Unofficial results were:

Mike Church — 183
Larry R. Myers — 133

There were no Democrats on the ballot.

Manor Township

In the GOP race for Manor Township constable, Kent Bradley Weinoldt defeated challenger Frank Rizzo by a nearly two-to-one margin.

Unofficial results were:

Kent Bradley Weinoldt — 540
Frank Rizzo — 276

Weinoldt will face Democrat Jere DeLeo, who was unopposed Tuesday, in the November general election.

Bart Township

Barely over 100 people turned out to vote in Bart Township's GOP primary Tuesday.

The race for constable was the only one that was contested, and Donald K. Mowrer won the party's nomination.

Unofficial results were:

Donald K. Mowrer — 78
John W. Groff — 28

There were no Democrats on the ballot.

Warwick Township

In Warwick Township, there was only one contested race in the GOP primary, and that was the race for constable, which Bob O'Brien won.

Unofficial results were:

Bob O'Brien — 359
Rodney A. Witman — 227

There were no Democrats on the ballot.

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