BUTLER TOWNSHIP — Four decades after Fred Vero became the youngest person to ever be elected mayor of Butler, he's back on the ballot — but this time in Butler Township.

Vero, 71, secured a spot in the race for two seats on the Butler Township Board of Commissioners this November, according to unofficial write-in vote tallies from the recent primary that were released Monday by county officials.

Vero won 91 write-in votes in the Democratic primary, according to the county's tally. On Tuesday he said the decision to run a write-in campaign was made about a week before the primary election, after a friend pointed out that the Democratic primary was empty.

“I wasn't sure because I've been out of it for so long,” Vero said. “I talked to a couple friends and my wife, and we (decided to) give it a shot.”

Vero's write-in win turns a noncompetitive re-election campaign for Republican incumbents Sam Zurzolo and Charles Nedz into a real race, with three candidates vying for two seats on the board.

Zurzolo, who was the leading vote-getter in the Republican primary, also won a spot on the Democratic side of November's ballot with 45 write-in votes.