Political newcomer leads longtime incumbent in Allegheny Township supervisors' race

A political newcomer led a longtime incumbent by 42 votes in the Republican primary race for Allegheny Township Supervisor, according to unofficial tallies.

James Morabito collected 52% of the votes counted, or 540 votes, compared to incumbent Supervisor Kathy Starr’s 47.9% (498), unofficial tallies showed with all of the township’s precincts reported.

No Democrats appeared on the ballot, but 382 people cast write-in votes, the official tallies showed. Those results were not available early Wednesday.

Starr said she’s awaiting the results of mail-in ballots.

“Right now the election is very close,” Starr said. “I’m waiting for the final results and hoping to be on the ballot in November because I love this township, and I want to continue to serve.”

In a phone interview late Tuesday, Morabito, 57, said he was “blessed” to have met hundreds of township residents during his campaign.

“I’ve spent the last six weeks going door-to-door listening and sharing my ideas with the wonderful people of Allegheny Township,” Morabito said. “I feel blessed and honored with their show of support in today’s election.”

He said he logged more than 150 miles walking door-to-door during the campaign.

“Everybody I talked to said it was time for change,” Morabito said. “I knocked on homes and people let me in. I was at the polls (Tuesday) for 13 straight hours and 80% of the people that I asked to vote for me today said I had already visited their house.”

Morabito said a priority for the township involves developing new business. He said the most pressing issue for the township is a surplus of empty storefronts, citing vacancies in the township’s biggest plazas.

He said working to bring retailers to the township will be a priority.

“I’m not at all a politician. I want to use my business sense wherever it can be applied,” said Morabito, who owns a used car dealership in Lower Burrell.