Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty won a third four-year term as the city's chief executive on election day with a double-digit triumph over write-in rival Gary DiBileo.
Doherty, the winner of both the Democratic and Republican primaries in the spring, was unopposed on the paper ballots cast by city voters on Tuesday.
"We are very happy with (the election) because it is the testament of the hard work that we have done over the last eight years and the tremendous progress Scranton has made over the last eight years," said a jubilant Mayor Doherty at his victory party in north Scranton. "The people of Scranton are happy and they want us to push farther and become even more successful."
Tuesday marked the second consecutive general election Doherty turned away a challenge from DiBileo. Both candidates estimate Doherty garnered around 60 percent of the vote this time around, pending the official count of write-in ballots. That is an increase over 2005, when he won 53 percent of the vote.
DiBileo also fell short of his goal of defeating the incumbent mayor in the Democratic primary this past spring and announced a write-in campaign in late October.
"We stood up for what we felt was right," DiBileo as he consoled his disappointed supporters at Scranton's Saint Mary's Center Tuesday night. "To get 43 percent of the vote as a write-in is just phenomenal."
Others at the center celebrated the city council sweep by the team of incumbent Janet Evans and newcomers Pat Rogen and Frank Joyce. The trio are expected to vote as a block, in opposition to the mayor. "For the first time in eight years we will have true checks and balances and accountability for our local government," said Evans.
The opposition block could grow stronger. City council member Bill Courtright won an unopposed race to be Scranton's next tax collector. He is expected to give up his council seat, and the new council majority controlled by Evans will have a say in who is named as Courtright's replacement.
The tension between the mayor and the council may not last long. Mayor Doherty reaffirmed his desire Tuesday night to seek a statewide seat in the near future, possibly running as a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.
"We have done real well here," said Doherty. "We would like to see if we could take this to the state level."
Doherty, the winner of both the Democratic and Republican primaries in the spring, was unopposed on the paper ballots cast by city voters on Tuesday.
"We are very happy with (the election) because it is the testament of the hard work that we have done over the last eight years and the tremendous progress Scranton has made over the last eight years," said a jubilant Mayor Doherty at his victory party in north Scranton. "The people of Scranton are happy and they want us to push farther and become even more successful."
Tuesday marked the second consecutive general election Doherty turned away a challenge from DiBileo. Both candidates estimate Doherty garnered around 60 percent of the vote this time around, pending the official count of write-in ballots. That is an increase over 2005, when he won 53 percent of the vote.
DiBileo also fell short of his goal of defeating the incumbent mayor in the Democratic primary this past spring and announced a write-in campaign in late October.
"We stood up for what we felt was right," DiBileo as he consoled his disappointed supporters at Scranton's Saint Mary's Center Tuesday night. "To get 43 percent of the vote as a write-in is just phenomenal."
Others at the center celebrated the city council sweep by the team of incumbent Janet Evans and newcomers Pat Rogen and Frank Joyce. The trio are expected to vote as a block, in opposition to the mayor. "For the first time in eight years we will have true checks and balances and accountability for our local government," said Evans.
The opposition block could grow stronger. City council member Bill Courtright won an unopposed race to be Scranton's next tax collector. He is expected to give up his council seat, and the new council majority controlled by Evans will have a say in who is named as Courtright's replacement.
The tension between the mayor and the council may not last long. Mayor Doherty reaffirmed his desire Tuesday night to seek a statewide seat in the near future, possibly running as a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor in 2010.
"We have done real well here," said Doherty. "We would like to see if we could take this to the state level."
