With Tuesday's filing deadline for Mercer County Commissioner candidates past, the race is officially on.

Republicans and Democrats will have to make some choices in the May 20 primary election to winnow the pack down.

Seven Republicans and four Democrats filed petitions. While most of the candidates had announced their intentions previously, there were a few surprises out of the county office of Registration and Elections on Tuesday afternoon.

Three Republican candidates, who hadn't previously announced their plans to run, surfaced Tuesday. Mary Buckwalter, Wilmington Township, Thomas Dill, Sharon, and Glenn Dosch, Mercer, all filed petitions for the post.

A petition for radio personality John "Trapper John" Columbo, who announced on Feb. 6 he was seeking the Republican nomination, had not been processed by 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, said Patty Napolitan in the Mercer County office of Voter registration and elections. Columbo did not return calls for comment.

   » Olivia M. Lazor, South Pymatuning Township, is the only incumbent commissioner to seek re-election. She is seeking her fourth term in office.

   » James Kaibas, Hermitage, is a computer repair consultant.

   » Richard McMahon, Hermitage, owns and operates the Business Institute of Pennsylvania.

   » Brian Beader, Hermitage, is the business representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 712.

   » Joseph N. Phillips, East Lackawannock Township, owns BA and JO enterprises, a grant writing business.

   » Bruce A. Richael, Farrell, is the founder, CEO and senior pastor of Bruce Richael Bible Ministries, Inc., and a minister at Love Christian Center in Farrell.

   » George Pokrant, Grove City, is a Regional Behavioral Health Administrator for the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC Presbyterian and a Grove City Borough Councilman

   » Thomas J. Limber, Jr., Hempfield Township, is an embalmer and funeral director.

   » Michele Brooks, Jamestown, is president-elect of Northern Mercer County United Way.

   » Mrs. Buckwalter is an administrative assistant for Sharon Custom Metal Forming, Hermitage, and Wilmington Area School Board member.

   » Dill is a partner in the law firm of Fruit, Dill, Goodwin & Scholl in Sharon.

   » Dosch, who made headlines protesting last year's county tax hike, owns Steel Building Repair in Mercer.

By law, the board of commissioners includes members of at least two political parties. Democrats and Republicans chose two nominees each in the May 20 primary. Voters vote for two candidates in the November election and the top three vote getters win seats on the board.

Commissioners are paid $51,479 a year.

Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett contributed to this story.