Residents in Lackawanna County school districts will see contested school board races on their ballots during the general election Nov. 4.

The largest races are those in the Dunmore, Riverside and Old Forge school districts.

Here are the candidates running for school board:

Carbondale Area

In Region 1, incumbent board Vice President James Dovin is running unopposed for a single seat, cross-filed as a Republican and Democrat. In Region 2, board member John “Jigger” Jordan and Bill Boyle, who cross-filed, are unopposed for two seats. In Region 3, board member Peter Turonis, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Jeffrey Magistro for a single seat. Each seat carries a four-year term.

Dunmore

Six people — incumbent board Treasurer Heidi McDonough, Chris Murray Sr., Joe “Luch” Luciano, Amy Haun, Deanna Leo and Corey Pregmon — are running for four seats, each with four-year terms. Murray and Luciano cross-filed; McDonough and Haun are running as Democrats, and Leo and Pregmon as Republicans.

Lackawanna Trail

In Region 2, incumbent board member Adrian Bianchi, a Democrat, is running against Republican Susanne Green for the single seat representing Benton Twp. in Lackawanna County and Factoryville in Wyoming County. In Region 3, board Vice President Tracy Nelson Wescott and board member Brendan S. Dwyer, both of whom cross-filed, are running unopposed for two seats representing Dalton, La Plume Twp. and West Abington Twp. All seats carry four-year terms.

North Pocono

In Region 1, incumbent board Treasurer Pia McLaine, and board members R. Mark Powell and Maura Maros, who all cross-filed, are unopposed for three seats, each with a four-year term. In Region 2, board member Elizabeth Walsh, a Democrat, faces a challenge by Republican Ashley Messoline for a single seat that carries a four-year term. In Region 3, board member Lynn Heard, a Republican, is running unopposed for a single seat with a two-year term.

Old Forge

Five people — incumbent board members Alisha Marmo Hudak, Laura Zajaczkowski-Shumlas and board Assistant Secretary Jenna Derenick — along with Megan Sallavanti-DiBileo and Michael Zupon, are running for four seats, each with a four-year term. Sallavanti-DiBileo is additionally running unopposed for one two-year seat. Sallavanti-DiBileo, Hudak and Derenick cross-filed, while Zajaczkowski-Shumlas is running as a Democrat and Zupon as a Republican.

Riverside

In the contest for four seats, each with a four-year term, five people are running: incumbent board President Carol Kaminski Armstrong and Secretary Barbara Fedor, and Mary Burke, all of whom cross-filed, as well as Marion Maurer, a Democrat, and Ronald A. Gallagher, a Republican.

Uncontested races

The following school board candidates are running unopposed:

Abington Heights: Shannon Malloy Kehoe is running for one seat representing Region 1; incumbent board member Gretchen Henderson seeks a single seat representing Region 2; board Secretary Anthony Abdalla is running to represent Region 3; and board Treasurer Emily Karam is running for an at-large seat. All four candidates cross-filed and the seats carry four-year terms.

Lakeland: Incumbent board President Mark Solomon, who cross-filed, is running for a single seat representing Region 1; in Region 2, Vice President Patrick Gallagher and board member Bradley M. Beneski, both Democrats, are running for two seats; and board member Joseph Sullivan, who also cross-filed, is running for a seat representing Region 3. The seats carry four-year terms.

Mid Valley: In Region 1, incumbent board President Steven Vituszynski and Rebecca Krott Alunni, who both cross-filed, are running for two seats with four-year terms; Democrat Bob Doughton is running for a two-year seat representing Region 2; and Frank Galli and Tina Rossi Golumbeski, both of whom cross-filed, are running for two seats with four-year terms.

Originally Published: October 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM EDT