One Seneca Valley school board candidate for region 1, two in region 4 proceed to Nov. election
One candidate will proceed to the November election for Seneca Valley School District’s region 1, while two candidates proceed from region 4, according to unofficial election results reported in Butler County Bureau of Elections summary reports.
In region 1, newcomer Allyson Mazzoni bested newcomer Nashid Ibn Ali on the Republican ballot with 409 votes to Ali’s 28. Mazzoni, who cross filed, also won on the Democratic ballot with 249 votes.
Both region 4 candidates cross filed. Newcomer Mark Ruston defeated newcomer Travis Savitt-Kraft on the Republican ballot with 248 votes to Savitt-Kraft’s 120. Meanwhile, Savitt-Kraft received more support on the Democratic ballot with 208 votes to Ruston’s 158.
As a result, Mazzoni is the only candidate proceeding to the November election in region 1, while Ruston and Savitt-Kraft will square off again in the general election for region 4.
Mazzoni is a resident of Cranberry Township and 2003 graduate of Seneca Valley. Mazzoni was previously an engineer and project manager at Westinghouse, and currently renovates homes in Cranberry Township. The Butler Eagle attempted to reach out to Mazzoni for additional comment.
Ruston is a resident of Cranberry Township. He is the regional operating manager of the MCS Group, a business consulting organization.
“I certainly will try to do the best I can for everybody I’d represent,” Ruston said.
Savitt-Kraft is a high school math teacher from Cranberry Township. He previously said he has been an educator for 17 years.
“I’m incredibly excited. I wasn’t sure how’d it turn out, I did a lot of handshaking, and I hope it made a difference, people seeing me,” Savitt-Kraft said. “I really do hope to make a real difference.”
Region 1 represents Cranberry Township East 1 and 2, while region 4 represents Cranberry Township West 4 and 6.
Mazzoni and Ali were running to replace board member Leslie Bredl in region 1. Savitt-Kraft and Ruston running to replace Fred Peterson.
Another newcomer, Mark Gartner, ran unopposed in region 9 and will advance to the general election. Region 9, currently represented by Jeff Widdowson, includes Callery, Harmony and Jackson Township. He received 525 votes on the Republican ticket.
Gartner is a middle school teacher and small business owner who lives in Jackson Township.
In two other uncontested Seneca Valley school board races, incumbents Eric DiTullio and Tim Hester both cross filed and also moved onto the general election. DiTullio moves ahead on the Republican ballot with 695 votes, and on the Democratic ticket with 299 votes. Hester moves ahead on the Republican ballot with 334 votes, and on the Democratic ticket with 354 votes.
DiTullio, the board president, represents Lancaster and Forward townships in Region 8. Hester represents Cranberry Township East 3 and West 5 in Cranberry Township.
The winners of the November election will begin their four-year terms at the start of 2026.
