In one of the closes elections in recently years, Christine A. Holman, Republican, of Ryan Township, defeated Karen Bynes Noon, Democrat, of Ashland, by 60 votes for district attorney in Schuylkill County, according to the unofficial results from Tuesday's Municipal General Election. Holman received 15,258 votes and Noon, 15,191.

Although Noon had been the district attorney for the past two years when she was appointed to fill the vacancy left by James P. Goodman, who resigned after being elected a county judge. Holman becomes the first woman to be elected district attorney of Schuylkill County. Noon was seeking to be elected to her first full term.In the other major race in the county, Incumbent Sheriff Joseph G. Groody, Ashland, was re-elected to his second full term in a landslide victory.Groody, a Democrat, polled a high vote total with 20,770 votes. His opponent, Patrick M. Reynolds, Republican, of Branch Township, received 8,383 votes. There were 736 write-in votes which will be counted at a later date.Judge John E. Domalakes, Frackville, was retained for another 10 years and received an outstanding 77 percent of the vote total. He received 22,008 yes votes and there were 6,510 no votes cast.In the contest of a seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court, Vic Stabile, Republican, received 15,108 votes and Jack McVay Jr., Democrat, 12,364 votes.Two justices were running for retention on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Justice Max Baer received 19,203 yes votes and 9,036 negative votes in while Justice Ronald D. Castille received 17,381 votes and 8,816 no votes. Two judges were running for retention to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Judge Susan Peikas Gantman received 17,381 yes votes and 8,816 no votes and Judge Jack A. Panella received 17,176 yes votes and 8,919 no votes.There are 84,643 registered voters in Schuylkill County. The Republican Party, which is the majority party in the county, for the first time cast more straight votes than the Democratic Party. A total of 3,049 straight votes were cast by the Republican, 2,690 by the Democrats, 43 by Libertarian, 366 by Independents, and 219 by Non-Partisan.