Democratic Gettysburg Councilmember Chad-Alan Carr (with 913 votes), has defeated incumbent Rita Frealing (736 votes) to become Gettysburg’s next mayor. Frealing ran as a Republican in the election after narrowly losing to Carr in the Democract primary in May.
Carr ran on a platform in which he will cede control of the police department to borough staff.
In an email after the final results were in, Carr thanked the residents of the borough who voted for him. “I am deeply grateful for your support and honored by your confidence in selecting me to be your next Mayor,” he said. “Thank you to Mayor Frealing for her years of public service.”
“Like all of you, I love Gettysburg. I am eager to begin the next chapter of this journey—working closely with all members of the Gettysburg Borough Police Department, as well as the Council and Staff. I remain committed to my goals of ensuring Gettysburg is a safe and inclusive community, with proper oversight, accountability, and transparency for the public we serve,” said Carr.
Democrats carried all three Gettysburg borough council wards:
- Ward 1: Jeff Rioux (D) 393 defeated David Petters (R) 180
- Ward 2: Chris Berger (D) 429
- Ward 3: William Mooney III (D) 436
In countywide races, Republican Torren Ecker defeated Democrat Paul B. Royer for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, 16,576 to 12,887. Kelly Ruff Lawver was re-elected Clerk of Courts without opposition, Crissy Redding—cross-filed on both party lines—was returned as County Treasurer, and Sheriff Josh Fitting won comfortably with 22,105 votes.
“I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the voters who came out today,” said Lawver. “Your continued support in my reelection means the world to me. I am committed to maintaining the highest standards of efficiency in our operations, and I will continue our successful efforts in collecting outstanding fines, costs, and restitution. Together, we will ensure that Adams County Clerk of Courts remains the gold star Clerk of Court in the state.”
Countywide turnout reached 39.7 percent, with 30,003 of 75,621 registered voters casting ballots—well above the 31 percent turnout recorded in 2021.
School District Results
In the four-year race for the Gettysburg Area School District, Democrat Kathleen Pratt (4,810), and Republicans Justine Sieg (4,721), David Sites (4,570), and Donna Harrison (4,456) have won.
For the GASD two-year race, Democrat Ryan Kerney (4,843) defeated Republican Mark Hopkins (4,447)
In Upper Adams, cross-filed Kay E. Hollabaugh (1,910), and Republicans John W. Lindemulder (1,568), Melissa Anders (1,414), and Matthew Lustig (1,349) have won their races.
In Littlestown School District, Steven Yerger (2,177), Ally MacCall (2,048), Donna Baylis (2,018), and cross-filed Janell Ressler (1728) won the four-year seats, while cross-filed Jeanne Ewen (2,743) secured the two-year term.
In the Fairfield Area, Laura Fisher, Candace Ferguson-Miller, Jack Liller, and Tedd Sayres were elected.
Conewago Valley District voters elected Melanie Sauter, Eric Flickinger, Michael Campbell, and Bruce Wesbury.
Other Mayoral Races
| Municipality | Winner | Party | Votes | Opponent(s) / Write-Ins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbottstown | Duane Watson | Republican | 126 | Write-ins: 58 |
| Arendtsville | April A. Jones | DAR | 216 | Write-ins: 5 |
| Bendersville | Leon Stoner | Republican | 109 | Write-ins: 12 |
| Biglerville | Philip R. Wagner | Republican | 239 | Write-ins: 22 |
| Bonneauville | Josh Turner | Republican | 289 | Write-ins: 12 |
| Carroll Valley | Ron Harris | Republican | 847 | Write-ins: 35 |
| East Berlin | Stephanie Haley | DAR | 384 | Write-ins: 10 |
| Fairfield | Robert R. Stanley Sr. | Republican | 109 | Write-ins: 16 |
| Littlestown | Jennifer Beskid | Republican | 845 | Write-ins: 28 |
| McSherrystown | Catherine Hagerman | Republican | 392 | Write-ins: 26 |
| New Oxford | April Majka | DAR | 297 | Write-ins: 11 |
| York Springs | Nina Tipler | Republican | 78 | Write-ins: 14 |
Election officials will begin the canvass this week; all results remain unofficial until certified later this month.
For complete results, please visit adamscountypa.gov/departments/electionsandvoterregistration/electionresults.
Featured image caption: Chad-Alan Carr
Congrats to Chad, and to all newly-elected leaders.
Thank you so much for this full report!