Butler resident Sarah Edwards on Tuesday night won the Republican Party nomination to become the next Butler County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court.

Edwards tallied nearly 49 percent of the 15,568 votes cast during the primary election.

Eric Gordon gathered about 23 percent, while Robin Redding and Peggy Abersold gained about 16 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

The Democratic Party did not field a candidate, but there were 407 write-in votes.

“I’m very excited,” said Edwards. “I want to thank all the people who went out to vote and supported me. I’m very grateful.”

Edwards, a 1999 graduate of Butler High School, is a former judicial law clerk in the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County. She resigned from her position earlier this year to seek election.

She said she credited her experience with the courts as a reason for her victory.

If Edwards is elected in November she will replace Judith Moser, 68, of Winfield Township, who is retiring.

Edwards said she had the endorsement of Moser, who she has worked with during the past five years.

“We worked very closely together,” Edwards said.

Moser said she thinks Edwards will excel at the position.

“She will be excellent,” Moser said. “She is dedicated and has been a real pleasure to work with.”

Moser said she was not surprised by Edwards’ commanding victory.

“She worked very hard,” she said.

Moser, who took office in 1992, deals with numerous types of filings, ranging from requests for an original will to determination of who administers a will.

In 2014, there were nearly 1,100 register of wills cases. For the same period, orphans’ court processed more than 300 cases.