Incumbent Clark, newcomer Deeley win Democratic primary for commissioner

City Commissioner Anthony Clark and newcomer Lisa Deeley won the Democratic primary for the commissioners race.

Republican incumbent Al Schmidt did not have any challengers, so he, too, will move on to the November ballot.

All three commissioner seats were on the ballot, with one seat reserved for the minority party. However, Democratic incumbent Stephanie Singer was knocked off the ballot through petition challenges.

The commissioners are in charge of overseeing elections and voter registration.

Six Democrats, including Clark and Deeley, were vying for the party's two nominations.

The race proved the power of the Democratic Party machine.

The party endorsed Clark, who lives in Strawberry Mansion and received some heat last year for not having voted since 2011, and Deeley, who has worked for City Controller Alan Butkovitz and City Councilman Bobby Henon.

Clark won with 31 percent of the vote and Deeley with 20 percent in unofficial returns.

"I feel very humbled by the support I received. . . . People heard my message," Deeley said after she won.

She said she plans to better educate voters on the election process and work to increase voter turnout. "We can no longer be satisfied with 10 and 12 percent turnouts," Deeley said.

Two other row offices will be up for grabs in November: sheriff and register of wills.

Sheriff Jewell Williams and Register of Wills Ron Donatucci ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

In November, Williams will face the only Republican running for sheriff, Christopher Sawyer. And Donatucci will face the only Republican candidate for his office, Ross Feinberg.