In a closely watched and heavily contested contest, current borough council member Chad-Alan Carr has won the Democratic nomination for mayor, defeating incumbent Rita Frealing by a margin of 31 votes in today’s municipal primary election.
Carr secured 268 votes to Frealing’s 237, with one additional write-in vote recorded. The race produced 506 total ballots from Democratic voters, approximately 20 percent of the registered party members.
Carr’s statement:
“Regardless of whether you voted for me or not, I want to say thank you to everyone who voted in this primary election—and please, remember to vote in the general election this November.”
“Thank you to the residents of the Borough of Gettysburg who voted for me. I am deeply grateful for your support and honored by your confidence in selecting me to hopefully become your next Mayor. It means so much to have the opportunity to represent all three wards in our wonderful community.
“Thank you to Mayor Frealing for your service to Gettysburg.
“Like all of you, I love Gettysburg. It’s important to me to keep our town a safe and vibrant place to live, work, and visit. If elected in the general election, I’m eager to begin the next chapter of this journey—working closely with the Chief of Police and all members of the 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.
“I am ready to work for all. When you see me around town, please say hello, wave, smile—and share your stories, your concerns, and your ideas. Let’s keep working together.
“I am so grateful to Gettysburg,” said Carr.
“Chad won by staying on the message of economic development, departmental accountability, and transparency,” said his campaign manager for the last three elections, Patti Robinson. “He has outlined a way for the borough to move forward over the next four years, and that message will continue to resonate with the borough residents through the general election in November.”
While Carr advances to the general election as the Democratic nominee, the question remains whether a Republican opponent will emerge. No Republican candidate appeared on the ballot, but a notable 162 write-in votes were cast.. That tally suggests the potential for a write-in candidate, which could be Frealing, to qualify as the official Republican nomination, pending certification by the Adams County Board of Elections.
Should the write-in process produce a qualifying candidate, Gettysburg voters could see a competitive general election in November. Otherwise, Carr may be positioned to run unopposed.
The general election is scheduled for November 4, 2025.
Thanks for including information about the Republican primary for mayor, which may return Rita Frealing to the ballot in November for another chance to be re-elected.