An unusually high 37.73% of registered Montgomery County voters took advantage of Tuesday's nice weather to cast their ballot in an off-year election.  Some area voters were using new voting machines, required by the state to improve election security and produce a paper record, for the first time.

            Last November, Lower Frederick voters approved a ballot measure to increase the size of the board from three to five members, and this November 44.71% of the voters headed to polls to cast their ballots.

            On Tuesday, Democrats Chuck Yeiser (825) and Terry Bird (767) topped incumbent Republican Terry Sacks (634) and Republican Nathan Schadler (574) for a six-year term on the Lower Frederick Board of Supervisors.  For the four-year term, Democrat Dan Orfe (879) won out over Republican Chris Kristofco (534) and for the two-year term, Democrat Noelle Halter (742) bested incumbent Republican Chuck Liedlike (692).

            In the race for Magisterial District Judge 38-2-03, incumbent Republican Maurice Saylor (4,524) topped Democrat Dennis Psota, Jr. (4,359).  The district covers Douglass, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Upper Frederick and Upper Pottsgrove Townships in Montgomery County.

            The results of other local, contested elections revealed several close races.

            Seven candidates were competing for five positions on the Upper Perkiomen School Board.  The votes, from both the Montgomery County and Berks County communities within the district, showed cross-filing incumbents Mike Elliott (3,788) and Judy Maginnis (3,777) along with cross-filing Peg Pennepacker (3,612), Democrat Dana Hipszer (2,424), and Republican incumbent Raeann Hofkin (2,401) rounding out the top five vote receivers.  Democrat Thomas Manion (2,391) and Republican Ed Walczak (2,377) ran a close race with only 47 votes separating the fourth and seventh vote receivers.  There were 270 write-in votes that could affect the final outcome.

            Five candidates battled for three East Greenville borough council seats and brought out 29.28% of the borough's voters.  Democrat Melissa Leinbach (260) topped all candidates with incumbents Republican Doug Criddle (238) and Democrat Alison Palmer (234) taking the other two seats.  Republicans John McAllister (223) and incumbent John Dingler (225) were also on the ballot.

            There were three seats available for a four-year term on Pennsburg borough council. Incumbent Bob Seville (467) and newcomer Maggie Hange (408), running on both the Democrat and Republican tickets, topped the ballots while Democrat incumbent Patrick Suter (289) appears to have taken the third seat. 

            For the two seats up for grabs for a two-year term on Pennsburg borough council, Wayne Stevens (416) running on the Democrat and Republican ticket was the top vote getter with incumbent Joan Wieder (268) retaining her seat as they topped Democrat newcomer Larry Hange (266).

            In Pennsburg, 28.56% of registered voters cast ballots.

            In Upper Hanover Township, where 34.75% of the voters turned out, Republican Timothy Woodward (1,080) bested Democrat Labrea Huff (644) to join the Board of Supervisors.

            More than 40% of the voters in Upper Salford turned out at the polls on Tuesday where two candidates were vying for a seat on the board of supervisors.  Republican incumbent Kevin O'Donnell (584) will retain his seat after topping Dennis Erb (292) in the election.

            Washington Township, Berks County, will see incumbent Republican David D. Moyer (649) returning to the board of supervisors after topping Democrat Jayme A. Benfield (394).

            In Milford Township, Bucks County, incumbent Republican Charles Strunk (1,453) retained his six-year term seat on the board of supervisors with a win over Democrat David Gross (942) and Republican Sheryl Nierenberg (1,413) bested Democrat James Walsh (954) for a six-year term as a township auditor.

            Election results are not final until validated by officials.