A visit to the polls

I stopped by Red Lion before coming to work this afternoon.

They've got two slates of Republican candidates running against each other for the primary nomination, which will likely determine the makeup of borough council in November. It looked like a contentious race, based on the sheer number of campaign signs around town.

I ran into three candidates -- Thomas Shellenberger, Bradley Smith and Andrew Tome -- at one of the polls. Shellenberger told me that the campaigning was intense, but things hadn't become ugly. Basically, there were no hard feelings, he said.

I didn't get a chance to talk to the opposite camp for their take, but I still find it significant that he said that. In pretty much every contested race I've ever covered, from local school board to U.S. presidency, I hear from the candidates that their own behavior has been above reproach, but their opponents stooped to dirty tactics. The opponents, of course, tell me precisely the same thing.

Shellenberger specifically contrasted the situation in Red Lion to the supervisors race in Shrewsbury and the mayoral primary in York.

Like I said, I didn't get a chance to confirm that statement with the other side. But if it's true that the different factions managed to keep it from getting personal, that would be nice to see for a change.