Tracey Gordon wins register of wills race, ousting 40-year incumbent Ron Donatucci

Tracey L. Gordon, a former deputy city commissioner, ousted longtime Register of Wills Ron Donatucci in the Democratic primary.

Tracey Gordon (left) campaigns in Germantown on Sunday. She defeated Register of Wills Ron Donatucci in the Democratic primary Tuesday. He has been the register of wills since 1980.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer

by Claudia Vargas

Updated May 22, 2019, 7:20 a.m. ET

Published May 21, 2019, 11:34 p.m. ET

Former Deputy City Commissioner Tracey L. Gordon defeated Register of Wills Ron Donatucci in the Democratic primary Tuesday, denying his bid for an 11th term in the office.

Donatucci’s loss marks the end of an era. The South Philadelphia politician has been the register of wills since 1980.

With 98 percent of the votes in, Gordon was leading Donatucci by 6,700 votes. Former Deputy Sheriff Jacque Whaumbush finished third.

Neither Gordon, 57, nor Donatucci, 71, could be reached for comment.

Gordon took to Twitter to thank her supporters.

The office, which has a $4 million annual budget and about 70 employees, is charged with receiving wills for probate; maintaining wills and estate records; collecting inheritance taxes; and issuing marriage licenses.

Gordon and Whaumbush both failed to file required campaign finance reports. Gordon told a reporter last week that she had raised $2,000.

Donatucci has faced some controversies in recent years, including a state auditor general investigation that found cash was stolen from the marriage license bureau, and issues with forged wills and notary signatures.

Gordon previously worked as the deputy to City Commissioner Stephanie Singer, and was fired in 2014 after the Ethics Board impounded her office computer and found that she had engaged in prohibited political activity. The board fined her $2,201 She called the firing a “political hit job” and denied the charges.

While the investigation was still active in 2015, Gordon unsuccessfully ran for commissioner in the Democratic primary. Later that year, she ran as an independent for the state House and also lost.

Since then, she has worked as a consultant for the Woodland, Chester and Elmwood Avenue business corridors.

As in the sheriff’s race, no Republicans ran for the job, so Gordon will only have an opponent in November if a candidate makes an independent bid.