By Tricia Pursell
SELINSGROVE — Sean Christine was named the unofficial winner of the Selinsgrove mayoral race after Tuesday night’s election.
Of a total 361 write-in votes, Christine received 281, according to unofficial results. Garry Beaver, a former mayor, received 46 write-in votes.
The balance of 34 write-in votes went to other people, according to Pat Nace, Snyder County elections director.
No name appeared on the ballot.
“I want to thank all the voters that supported me,” Christine said.
He did not conduct a major campaign for the office and said his victory is due to a group of people who supported him in both the efforts of the election and also with encouragement to run for the position.
They got the word out, he said, and “it’s really great to see how powerful that is.”
One of his supporters is incumbent Mayor Pete Carroll. From now until January, Christine plans to spend a lot of time with Carroll to learn the ins and outs of the position. Carroll will serve on the Borough Council beginning next year.
A former council member from 2001 to 2005, Christine said he had a good amount of interaction with the mayor and received exposure to the duties of the mayor during that time.
Though not entering the position with an agenda, he said he is looking forward to serving the borough again and is pleased with the turnout of those running for council positions.
“It’s going to be a good local government here in Selinsgrove,” he said.
The mayor’s duties include overseeing the police department, breaking ties in council votes, attending ribbon cuttings and performing weddings.
Along with a term on the Borough Council, Christine has been president of the Selinsgrove Chamber of Commerce and Selinsgrove Projects Inc. He has served as regional vice president of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and served on that group’s membership committee.
He has volunteered to chair the Selinsgrove Market Street Festival, has been vice chairman of the Selinsgrove Halloween parade and was a volunteer with Big Brothers-Big Sisters of the Susquehanna Valley.
A lifelong Snyder County resident who grew up in Selinsgrove, Christine is a graduate of Selinsgrove Area High School and Temple University. He is an Army veteran who served in the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
