DAMASCUS TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- There was a shakeup of several elected officials in Wayne County and one of them is making history. The results of the commissioner race were finalized on Tuesday night.
The county's first woman to be commissioner won by a very slim margin.
Jocelyn Cramer didn't know if she'd win her first campaign for county commissioner in Wayne County, let alone win it by a small margin of only 10 votes over incumbent Wendell Kay. Cramer's election makes her the first female commissioner in the county's history.
"I had no idea! I mean, honestly, you put everything into running. We really ran a campaign hoping to win, and you prepare to win. You don't prepare to be that close. It was a whole different ballgame. I'm very proud of it. It was obviously only a matter of time, but for me, it's very exciting," said commissioner-elect Jocelyn Cramer, (D) Wayne County.
Some people who spoke with Newswatch 16 said this historic election was a step forward for women in local politics.
"It should've happened a long time ago. It should be the ordinary, not the extraordinary. I think she did awesome campaigning. I got to meet her personally. I think she's an awesome person," said Laurel Gardner, owner of Laurel's Hometown Café.
"I think we need new ideas, and I think it's great, and I'm excited for her," said Michele Frigoletto at Mick's Barbershop.
Now that the dust has settled, Cramer says she is looking forward to working with her fellow county commissioners to better serve the residents of Wayne County.
"Now I'm starting to get excited and think about what to do and continue to get ready for the job. There's a really nice revitalization happening. How do we keep our young folks here? How do we retain them? How do we bring new folks to the area? Obviously, jobs, but we've got to turn that population decrease around," Cramer said.
A Democrat, Cramer will join incumbent Republicans Brian Smith and Joseph Adams when she is officially sworn in in January.