YORK, Pa. – Incumbent Mayor Kim Bracey has claimed victory in the mayoral primary election.
Bracey, faced off against City Council President Michael Helfrich. Both candidates are Democrats, and with no Republican challengers, the winner is poised to claim the position.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Bracey claimed 56 percent of the vote to Helfrich’s 44 percent.
Bracey celebrated the victory with supporters at her campaign headquarters on Beaver and Princess streets.
The mayor says the vote is a show of affirmation for the positive momentum being generated in the city by her leadership and administration.
“People are pleased, they’ve spoken and they’re pleased with the direction the community and the city is going and pleased with our leadership and administration, so we’re ready to continue working on behalf of all the citizens of the city,” Bracey said.
Helfrich, the president of York City Council, was still upbeat in spite of the loss, and thanked his supporters at the Waterway in the city.
Helfrich made a strong showing in the primary, and said earlier Tuesday night that he received strong support from Republican write-in votes, which gave him hope that perhaps he could mount another attempt in November as a Republican.
“Thank you to everybody, thank you for everybody who participated in the Democratic process, and you can see the amazing team and supporters that have come together to make a change in York City,” Helfrich said.
Bracey would be claiming her third term as mayor of York, after first being elected in 2009 and then winning re-election in 2013.
