A newcomer took a large percentage of the vote in Tuesday's Republican primary for Slippery Rock Borough council.

Lauren Christmann, a resident of 22 years, received the highest vote totals in both categories: four-year seat at 99 votes and 2-year seat at 59 votes, according to Butler County Bureau of Elections results.

With Tuesday's totals, Christmann advances to the general election along with incumbents Mike Sullivan, 83 votes, Royce Lorentz, 78 votes, and Ronald Steele, 73 votes.

Christmann said she spent most of the day visiting polling stations.

“I just talked about common sense,” Christmann said. “It just proves that living in your community for as long as I have, basically for all my life, helps.”

Christmann also advances as the sole two-year candidate, beating incumbents Sullivan and Denton Zeronas.

Zeronas' vote totals, 49 for the four-year seat and 13 for the two-year seat, leaves him off the ballot in November. Sullivan had 37 votes for the two-year seat.

Zeronas will finish out his two-year term this year, a position to which he was appointed. He said he may seek reappointment if the position becomes available after the general election.

“In general, I was just happy to do out the two-year term,” he said. “One of the seats is going to have to be given up. Depending on the write-in side of the general, there's always applying for appointment.”

Two seasoned board members — Steele and Lorentz — could return to the board.

Lorentz, who has served the board for 24 years said he hopes the board can settle into a more communicative approach.

“I'd like to see the board emphasize some different things,” Lorentz said. “I think we can be ahead on some decisions instead of in the last minute.”