There were 15 contests waged for top township posts in Tuesday's primary.

Adams TownshipThe same incumbent supervisor won the Republican primary for both a four-year seat and a six-year seat on the township's board of supervisors.Linda Lees, who has been a supervisor since 1988, won both primaries and will appear on the ballot for both the six-year term and four-year term in the November election.Barring a successful write-in challenge in the fall, Lees should win both seats in the November election and will have to resign one of them.That seat then will be filled by the board.Russell Ford came in second behind Lees in both races by more than 20 votes.Lees, currently in charge of the township's police and a lifelong resident, said she'll focus on the growth of the township's parks and recreation department as well as the Route 228 improvement project.She also previously said she'd like to see more ball fields come to the township.

Buffalo TownshipVoters decided to stick with the incumbents in the supervisors race.Republican incumbents John Haven and Gary Risch won the nominations for two, six-year seats on the board.According to unofficial results from the Butler County Elections Bureau, Haven received 269 votes with Risch getting 252 votes.Haven was pleased with the initial tally."I'm glad the people thought I was a worthwhile candidate," he said.Risch agreed."They voted for John and me," he said. "They must think we're doing all right."Challenger Jennifer Burkett came in third with 189 votes.Burkett couldn't be reached for comment.Democratic candidate Lynn Sasala ran unopposed.During the campaign, Haven prioritized the development of a business park at the intersection of Routes 356 and 38 as well as buying road supplies in bulk to save money.Risch also stressed the need for industrial development to keep township property taxes low.Burkett didn't run much of a campaign. She didn't have any political signs prominently posted in the township, including at polling sites, and was not seen campaigning at any of the voting precincts.

Butler TownshipA newcomer to the election process and a longtime township businessman will run as Republican candidates for the two open township commissioner seats in the fall.Benjamin Simon and George Shockey won the Republican nominations in Tuesday's primary. The seats are currently held by township Commissioners Donna Druga and Sam Zurzolo, who ran unopposed on the Democratic ballot Tuesday.Simon got 768 votes to Shockey's 755 votes.C. Michael English, who was running for office for the first time and is the brother of former U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-3rd, came in third by a mere 10 votes with 745.Simon is a Butler County assistant district attorney.Shockey owns and operates Shockey Excavating, and is a member of the Butler Area Sewer Authority.

Clay TownshipDemocratic candidate James Speicher will be on the ballot in November for the single township supervisor's seat that is open.Speicher beat Democrat incumbent Jack Reeder by a vote of 112 to 73.There were no Republican candidates on Tuesday's primary ballot, however, there were 20 write-in votes, that will be tallied later by the Butler County Bureau of Elections.

Clearfield TownshipDaniel Raabe, one of two Democratic candidates in Tuesday's primary for township supervisor, will be on the ballot in November's election.Raabe got 87 votes to challenger William Duttry's 64 votes.There were no Republican candidates in Tuesday's primary, however, 51 write-in votes were cast. Those votes will be tallied later by the Butler County Bureau of Elections.

Clinton TownshipA political newcomer defeated an incumbent supervisor Tuesday to win the Republican nomination.Ed Boyd, 71, beat Blane Martin by 134 votes for the six-year seat according to unofficial results by the Butler County Elections Bureau.Boyd received 254 votes as opposed to Martin's 120 votes. Boyd was glad with the results."We worked hard," he said. "We presented the facts as we saw them."Boyd said residents were ready for an independent voice on the board of supervisors."People understood that's a closed-door situation up there," he said.Martin was disappointed with the loss."If Clinton Township residents believed the lies they read and were told, now they'll have to live with their decision," he said.Leading up to the primary, a war of words at supervisors meetings pitted several residents, including Boyd, against the current board.Martin was a target for violating the state's ethics law.The Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission in July 2008 ordered Martin to pay $800 after using his position for his family's financial gain in 2006 and 2007.The township bought more than $1,000 worth of signs from a company owned by Martin's son and more than $160 worth of apparel from his wife's business.The township also hired Martin's son as a part-time road worker in summer 2006.Martin maintains he was unaware the actions were ethics violations. He stressed the use of family businesses, which saved the township money, was discontinued after he learned about the state ethics code.Martin said the ethics case likely impacted Tuesday's results."I'm sure it did," he said.There was no Democratic candidate for the seat. Martin does not plan on running as a write-in candidate in the fall.

Connoquenessing TownshipTownship supervisor Stephen Misko claimed almost half the vote to win a nomination toward his second consecutive six-year term on the board.Misko bested fellow Republicans Bernie Baker and Sherry Lokhaiser, garnering 200 votes to Baker's 124 and Lokhaiser's 146.No Democrats ran for the office.Misko said he wants to repair rifts within the board while advancing the township's comprehensive plan.The comprehensive plan, passed in 2007, concentrates on commercial development along Route 68 and the township's ability to improve its own roads and infrastructure via developer impact fees, grant money and stimulus money.That money and grant funds could also be used to build a new fire station for the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Department on township property with an EMS substation and helipad.The married father of two also said he wants to restore public confidence in the board of supervisors after allegations of misused funds and a lawsuit tarnished its image."If the current conduct of the board continues, I will ask for the chairwoman's resignation," Misko said in response to an Eagle questionnaire before the election.The township, as well as supervisor Jack Kaltenbaugh and board Chairwoman Evelyn Hockenberry were named in a lawsuit filed April 22 by The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66. An attorney for two discharged township employees claims the township ignored both a collective bargaining agreement and a later arbitration order by failing to contribute to William Chuba and Dan McGee's retirement savings as well as denying McGee back pay after he was fired and rehired in 2008.The suit contends McGee's termination and disciplinary action against Chuba in 2008 were unjust and should be expunged from their records.

Cranberry TownshipTwo six-year supervisor seats were up for nomination. In the Republican primary, incumbent Dick Hadley got the most votes with 1,266, followed closely by Mike Manipole with 1,261 votes to beat out Jason Rich, who received 730 votes and Jim Bazzy who received 693 votes.Longtime Republican supervisor John Milius had decided not to seek re-election.In the Democratic primary, former supervisor Bill Ambrass received 546 votes and Jim Wood received 336 votes to take the two spots on the Democratic ticket beating out Dan Page, who received 262 votes.

Forward TownshipVying for nomination to a six-year seat on the township board of supervisors, Republican Mark Wilson won his first elected post by a wide margin over a more seasoned opponent.Republican Neal Paulsen, who has run unsuccessfully for the 11th District seat in the state House of Representatives, lured only 24 voters to Wilson's 174."Probably the major key was that I was able to be at the polling place all day," Wilson said Tuesday night.No Democrats ran for the position, left vacant by supervisor Vice Chairman Timothy W. Rape."Hopefully, in the fall, I will be able to fit in and hit the ground running," Wilson said.A retired North Allegheny social studies teacher, Wilson will serve in his first elected office. Like Paulsen, Wilson has said he wants to focus on maintenance and improvement of township roads and wide use of taxpayer money.Wilson also wants to prepare for the future needs of township residents. As new development in the townships bordering Forward continues, Wilson said, supervisors must make difficult decisions to keep pace while preserving the township's rural roots."We want to maintain as much of that slow pace as we can, but you have to be realistic when you see everything going on in Cranberry Township and Penn Township. If you don't plan for it, you will get run over by it," Wilson said.He and his wife saw how quickly things can change after moving from Cranberry Township 12 years ago to avoid the bustle which accompanied development.If elected in the fall, Wilson's term will last through 2015.Supervisor Chairman David Lamperski's term runs through 2013, and Supervisor Paul R. McElhinny Sr.'s term runs through 2011.

Franklin TownshipJanet Gray will appear on the November ballot after capturing the Republican nomination for a six-year seat with 157 votes in Tuesday's primary.Dale Forrester came in second with 74 votes, followed by Mark Thomas with 70 and Brian Scott Seidler with 33 votes.Gray has been a member of the Franklin Township Planning Commission since April 2008.Robert Thompson will appear on the November ballot for a two-year supervisor's seat after getting 168 votes in Republican primary voting.Mark Thomas came in second with 95 votes, and Brian Scott Seidler followed with 60 votes.Thompson has been a township supervisor since January 2008 and a planning commission member for 15 years.

Jackson TownshipRepublican voters nominated Ronald E. Lutz as their candidate for township supervisor in the November general election.There were no Democratic candidates for supervisor on the ballot.He will run uncontested in November unless a Democrat stages a write-in campaign.Lutz defeated challenger Jay S. Grinnell by only 10 votes in Tuesday's primary, inching out his competitor by garnering 191 votes.About 28 percent of Republican voters turned out for the primary.Lutz, a self-employed township resident, ran on a platform stressing road improvements and better communication between the supervisors and their constituents.He previously said he'd like to make the township more "user friendly" for residents, too.Grinnell, the founder and president of Harmony EMS, has been a resident of Jackson Township for more than 30 years.The supervisor's seat in question carries a six-year term.The candidate elected in November will replace supervisor Tom West, who decided not to seek re-election this year.

Jefferson TownshipRepublican Lois Rankin trailed opponent William L. Foertsch in the township's first district, but a strong showing in the second district won her the nomination for a six-year seat on the township board of supervisors.Foertsch lost by less than 20 votes to Rankin, pulling ahead 134 votes to 121 in Jefferson Township's first district, but coming up short, 122 votes to Rankin's 152, in the second district.Rankin has served as auditor for the township, as well as inspector of elections in its second district for the past 13 years. She will now fill the seat being vacated by supervisors Vice Chairman James P. Chick.The married mother of four said she hopes to alleviate the high cost of operating the township by securing available grant and stimulus funds to keep roads and equipment in quality shape, as well as balancing the budget and making wise choices with taxpayer money to keep the real estate tax rate down.No Democrats ran for the office.If elected in the fall, Rankin's term will run through 2015.Supervisor Chairman James R. Jones' term runs through 2013, and Supervisor Phillip Bachman's term runs through 2011.

Marion TownshipBob Beran will appear on the fall ballot as the Democratic nominee for a six-year supervisor's seat after coming in with 53 votes in Tuesday's primary, followed by Jason McBride with 46 votes.Beran has served 12 years as a Marion Township supervisor and is chairman of the Butler County Environmental Advisory Board.Beran said his top three issues in the township are fixing inconsistent enforcement of township code, a need for the township to pursue available funding and grant sources for township improvement, and helping to improve the township's preparedness for anticipated future population growth.There was not a Republican race.

Middlesex TownshipMiddlesex Township supervisors Chairman Alonzo VanAtta will not be the Republican candidate for supervisor in November.Van Atta was upset by opponent Donald Marshall, who defeated VanAtta in both of the township's precincts.VanAtta garnered just more than 23 precent of the vote with 50 votes in the north precinct, while Marshall earned 166 votes, earning more than 76 percent.Results were similar in the south precinct, with Marshall getting 110 votes to VanAtta's 39.No Democratic candidates ran for the seat, which carries a six-year term.Neither candidate was available for comment late Tuesday night.

Worth TownshipTom Shaffer is the apparent nominee for a six-year supervisor's seat with two votes. Brian McMurdy came in with one vote, while there were three write-in votes cast.McMurdy will most likely appear on the ballot for a four-year seat. He had two votes while Dwight Heitzenrater had one. There were three write-in votes.