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And by the narrowest of margins — 11 votes — they did.
Democrat Benjamin Bamford, a member of the township Planning Commission, defeated longtime Supervisor Tony Allen on Tuesday by 11 votes out of more than 2,300 cast.
The victory by Bamford, a 45-year-old real estate developer who lives at 1031 Woods Ave., means Democrats now have a majority on the three-member board.
Bamford won the six-year seat in his first try for public office and had emphasized a need for more openness and citizen involvement in local government.
He said late Tuesday that this message seemed to strike a chord with voters: "We'd very much like to have more participation with the residents. … if people don't tell us, we won't know what's on the minds of the residents."
The unofficial final results were:
Bamford — 1,188
Allen — 1,177
His first goal, Bamford said, will be to ensure that the pending new contract with Manheim Township police, who will begin patrolling Lancaster Township on Jan. 1, is an effective one.
Allen, chairman of the supervisors, had emphasized the township's healthy financial picture and well-run operations.
While Democrats took this big step in Lancaster Township, in other townships the traditional Republican dominance continued, as the GOP took every contested supervisor's race.
In Manheim Township, three centrist commissioner candidates, including two incumbents and the long-time township manager making a run for elected office, won easily over a first-time Democratic candidate.
And in East Hempfield Township, a first-time Republican hopeful ran an issues-oriented, "no-attack" campaign to win an easy six-year term in that suburb.
In Manheim Township, incumbents J. Michael Flanagan and Rick Casselbury joined former township Manager Jim Martin in winning easily over Democrat Doreen Kreiner.
Martin — 3,976
Flanagan — 3,934
Casselbury — 3,743
Kreiner — 2,505
Said top vote-getter Martin, "We've been talking about balanced growth in the township, 40 percent commercial and 60 percent residential, and people seem to recognize that that seems to be a pretty good balance in the township."
Casselbury also said experience may have been a factor: "We have an existing track record that the people can look at … with all three of these guys."
In East Hempfield, GOP newcomer Scott Russell cited his experience in local government as a key to his easy win.
Plus, he sought to run "a very positive campaign. … That was kind of the message I wanted to send with this campaign, and I hope I can have an impact on some of the future campaigns in the township."
Russell, who won kudos for his preparation and knowledge of township issues, won easily over Democrat Lori McGowan, who like Russell was making her first run for elected office.
With 88 percent of the precincts reporting, the unofficial vote totals were:
Russell — 2,175
McGowan — 1,245
Russell, 39, of 1048 Lambley Road, is an engineer with the civil engineering firm Herbert Rowland & Grubic Inc.
He won a six-year term, with current Supervisor Heidi Wheaton, a Republican, not seeking re-election.
In the race for East Hempfield Township auditor, Republican Scott Wiglesworth easily defeated Democrat G. Walker Phillips Sr.
That vote was:
Wiglesworth — 2,247
Phillips — 1,029
In Conestoga Township, Republican incumbent Steven R. Charles Sr. faced a challenge from Democrat David W. Shertzer for a seat on the board of supervisors.
But Charles, 49, of 1430 Long Lane, Millersville, a part-time farmer, won easily over Shertzer, 44, of 239 Sandhill Road, Conestoga, who works in construction.
The results were:
Charles — 436
Shertzer — 213
In the race for a pair of six-year terms in Conoy Township, Republican incumbent Clyde Pickel and Kevin McKain, a challenger who won in the GOP primary, overcame, but just barely, a write-in challenge on the Democratic ballot from veteran supervisor Steve Mohr.
Mohr, a long-time Republican who was defeated in the spring, came in a close third.
Incumbent Pickel, 75, lives at 192 Falmouth Road, Bainbridge, and is retired. McKain, 49, of 104 Fawn Drive, Elizabethtown, is a printing industry employee.
The unofficial totals were:
Pickel — 390
McKain — 387
Mohr — 364
In Mount Joy Township, Republican David Sweigart III easily held off a write-in challenge for a six-year seat from Democrat Peter Grieger. The unofficial results were:
Sweigart — 1,027
Grieger — 234
Sweigart, 49, of 277 Ridgeview Road South, Elizabethtown, owns a commercial farming operation and also is a commercial pilot.
In the race for constable in Mount Joy Township, Armond Fieni, a Republican, easily defeated Steve Jozefik, a Democrat.
Fieni — 929
Jozefik — 273
Three candidates were vying for two seats on the Martic Township board, but no results were listed Tuesday night in the race on the county elections Web site.
There also were no returns in the race for constable in Penn Township.
In the race for constable in Manor Township, Kent Bradley Weinoldt, a Republican, defeated Jere DeLeo, a Democrat:
Weinoldt — 1,207
DeLeo — 562
And in the race for constable in southern-end Fulton Township, Robert Giffing, a Democrat, won easily over Edward Burrell Jr., a Republican. The total was:
Giffing — 250
Burrell — 75
