Primary creates exciting fall contests in Perk Valley School Board, borough offices

Official Montgomery County primary election returns have unlocked a wave of surprises — and set the stage for an exciting November ballot across several suburban townships and boroughs. 

Write-in candidates claimed major victories in races for school boards, township supervisor seats, borough councils, and mayoral offices, according to The Mercury.

Perkiomen Valley School Board Shuffle

Incumbent Republicans Don Fountain and Rowan Keenan overcame a filing snafu to win back their places on the ballot, per the report. Despite being removed from the primary due to missed disclosure forms, both candidates topped 1,400 write-in votes, reclaiming their positions for the Republican ticket in November alongside Jason Saylor and Russ Lawson.

Local inflammation over the race peaked when Democratic-aligned “PV Forward” distributed fake GOP sample ballots urging Republicans to write in their names. The gambit backfired — Fountain and Keenan garnered far more write-in support, per the report. The Montgomery GOP sued, and the court ordered the PV Forward team to send corrective notes clarifying they weren’t endorsed by the local GOP.

Trappe Mayor Picked by Write-In

The November mayoral tickets in Trappe Borough will also be set by write-ins. Incumbent Republican Matthew Wismer secured the GOP nomination with 129 write-in votes, according to The Mercury. Democrat Heather Blumenthal took the Democratic line with 221 write-in votes, ensuring a contested fall race.

Perkiomen Township Supervisors Contested

Perkiomen Township will see full ballot fields in November after write-in campaigns shook up both parties, per the report:

• Republican line: Robert Moyer (163 votes) and Diane Melville (141) earned their places, joining appointed Democrats Adam Doyle and Albert Campion, who were unopposed in their primary.
• Democratic line: Incumbent dem🏛
• Republican line: Robert Moyer (163 votes) and Diane Melville (141 votes) earned their spots.
• Democratic line: A surprise write-in bid by Stephen Dankanich (143 votes) challenges incumbent Corey Hulse, setting up another contested matchup.

Red Hill Borough Council Expands Write-In Wins

In Red Hill, write-in activity unlocked a full slate of fall races:

• Republicans: Incumbent Maryann S. Longo topped write-ins with 114 votes; incumbents Kimberly Gery (56) and Carly Gebhard (43) also earned ballot spots.
• Democrats: Incumbent Mary Chattin led the primary with 184 votes, joined by write-ins Rebecca Sell (57), Deborah Femington (55), and Lisa A. Lacey (46) for the November ballot.

Pennsburg Borough Swings Mayoral Nomination

In Pennsburg’s race for mayor, Brian Mentzer secured nominations from both parties—earning 84 Republican votes (edging out endorsed GOP candidate Clyde Hoch 84–81) and 10 Democratic write-ins. Voters will see his name under both party lines in November.

Council primaries saw a tight contest among Republicans: challengers and sitting members battled for four open seats. Matthew Cristy fell just short with 109 votes, bested by Michael Mensch at 113. The other GOP winners include incumbents Wayne Stevens, Keith Goodwin, and newcomer Brian F. Kilpatrick Jr.

Upper Frederick Supervisor Showdown

The lone open GOP supervisor seat in Upper Frederick will go to a fall contest after a write-in shake-up. Incumbent Republican William Karaffa lost the party nod to Steve O’Neill (221–137). However, Karaffa received 69 write-in votes on the Democratic line, ensuring both will appear on the November ballot.

What It Means for November:

Every seat mentioned above now heads toward a contested November election, often decided by write-in campaigns in the primary. These results reflect voter engagement and showcase how grassroots efforts can reshape the fall ballot—even without official appearances on the primary ballot.

Local voters should watch their mail for official ballots and be prepared to make decisions in a highly competitive and surprising local election cycle.

Read more on other local races here.