Plan to vote in the Nov. 4 general election? Here's what you need to know

Headlining the coming election in Scranton is the mayoral race between incumbent Democratic Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, Republican account executive Patricia “Trish” Beynon and independent candidate Eugene “Gene” Barrett, a former longtime executive director of the Scranton Sewer Authority and a former city councilman. Rik Little, running as the “AAAMission from God” party candidate for mayor, also filed to appear on the ballot.

In the race for city council, incumbent Democratic Councilman Tom Schuster and Democratic Council President Gerald Smurl seek reelection in a field that also includes candidates Patrick Flynn, Sean McAndrew, Marc Pane and Virgil Argenta. There are three seats on the five-member council up for grabs in November, with Democratic Councilman Bill King not seeking reelection this year.

Smurl withdrew from Democratic primary contention earlier this year amid issues with his nomination petitions and is seeking reelection as an independent candidate. Flynn and Sean McAndrew, a Scranton school director and Democratic Councilman Mark McAndrew’s nephew, are Democrats, while Pane is a Republican. Argenta ran as a Democrat in the primary and lost, but garnered enough Republican write-in votes to secure a GOP nomination for council and a spot on the November ballot.

And, in the race for Scranton School Board, five candidates — incumbent board Vice President Danielle Chesek, incumbent school Director Jenna Strzelecki, retired district Chief Information Officer Joe Brazil, former school Director Carol Cleary and former city council candidate John Howe — are each vying for one of four seats on the ballot this year.



https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2025/09/25/plan-to-vote-in-the-nov-4-general-election-heres-what-you-need-to-know/