As candidates and voters wait for officials to complete the task of counting and certifying all the votes in the 2023 General Election, the race for a seat on the Upper Perkiomen School Board is tightening up.

            The competitive race for the five seats up for election has Democrat incumbent Peg Pennepacker (3,392) with a comfortable lead over all candidates but, after that, only 101 votes separate the next five candidates.

            As of last Wednesday, the counted votes from both the Montgomery and Berks County areas included in the Upper Perkiomen School District had Republican Sarah Bieber (3,250) next followed by Republican Elizabeth Fluckey (3,156), and Democrat Leah Cianfrani (3,153).  Republicans Trina Schaarschmidt and Michael Long were tied with 3,149 votes for the fifth open seat.

            Other candidates in the close race are Republican John Gehman (3,128) along with Democrats Karie Ulrich (3,091), Christina Brathwaite (3,087), and Jacqueline Porterfield (2,983).

            After the votes are certified, according to Pennsylvania 1949 Act 14, Section 314; "if at any election two (2) or more candidates for school director receive the same number of votes for the same office, the candidates receiving the same number of votes shall cast lots before the county board of elections at twelve (12) o'clock noon on the third Friday following the election, and the one to whom the lot shall fall shall be entitled to the election."

            Certification of votes is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Nov. 22, according to Francis Dean, Montgomery County's interim director for voter services.

            Reported results are not official until all eligible ballots have been processed and certified by county officials.