By Vindicator Newsroom

March 5, 2008

WARREN – In two hotly contested countywide races, incumbent Sheriff Thomas Altiere has been re-elected, while David DeChristofaro has defeated Randy Smith for county engineer.
With 94 percent of the vote in by midnight, Altiere of Howland, who has served as sheriff for 16 years, garnered 27,809 votes or 56 percent; challenger Joseph Consiglio, Weathersfield Township’s police chief, received 21,206 votes.
In the engineer’s race, DeChristofaro, a Cafaro Co. vice president and Niles city engineer, received 26,198 votes, 55 percent, while Smith of Hartford, long-time deputy county engineer received 21,325 votes, or 44 percent.
Since there are no Republicans or independent candidates in the November general election, Altiere and DeChristofaro will assume their posts in January.
 Also, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk of Warren, forensic pathologist at the county coroner’s office, easily defeated Dr. Gary Kraker of Howland for coroner.