Voters may have a choice in the fall Pittsburgh mayoral election, if Tony Moreno claims the Republican nomination he earned by getting 1,379 write-in votes in the May primary.
Moreno has previously said he was awaiting for certification of the results before announcing whether he will continue his campaign for mayor. He did not immediately respond Tuesday to messages seeking comment.
RELATED: Will Tony Moreno run as a Republican in Pittsburgh mayoral race?
Allegheny County’s primary election results were certified Monday except for a race for Ross commissioner in Ward 8, where Democrats Lauren Hergert and Denise Rickenbrode tied with 235 votes each.
A petition for a recount has been filed in the race.
Turnout in the primary was 29%, based on the certified results with 268,918 ballots cast. The county has 927,187 registered voters.
Later this week, letters will be mailed to winners those who received enough write-in votes to be placed on the fall ballot. A list of the declared nominees for each race will be posted to the county’s election website in July once those candidates decide whether they will pursue election.
In the Pittsburgh mayoral primary race in May, both Moreno and Mayor Bill Peduto received more than the 250 Republican write-in votes required to claim a nomination and be placed on the general election ballot in November.
Peduto has said that, as a lifelong Democrat, he will not seek office as a Republican.
In the Democratic primary, Moreno placed a distant third behind Peduto and state Rep. Ed Gainey, D-Lincoln-Lemington.
Gainey won the nomination by getting 46% of the votes, denying Peduto a bid at a third term in office.
In Pittsburgh, Democrats hold an overwhelming registration edge and the winner of the primary generally faces little opposition in the November election.
If Moreno decides to run as a Republican, it would at least give voters a choice in the fall, Allegheny County Republican Committee Chair Sam DeMarco has said.
DeMarco, a member of Allegheny County Council, is a member of the election board the certifies results, along with Democratic Councilwoman Bethany Hallam and county Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
For the full list of those who received enough write-in votes to appear on the fall ballot click here, then click on the link for the write-in candidates report.
