Voters declined to retain long-time Lycoming County President Judge Nancy Butts during Tuesday night’s election, according to unofficial vote totals posted to the state election returns website.

Butts’ retention was soundly rejected by voters, by a difference of 9,435 votes, including 19,115 or 66% against retention and 9,680, or 34%, in favor.

Butts was elected to the bench in 1995, and retained in elections in 2005 and 2015. She ascended to the position of President Judge in 2010.

The Sun-Gazette has reached out to Butts’ office for comment.

All judges within the state, with the exception of magisterial district judges, are subject to merit retentions votes, following a 1968 amendment to article five of the state constitution, according to www.pavotesmart.org.

Butts is only the second county judge to lose a retention vote.

In 1974, county judge Thomas Wood Jr., who had served from 1964 to 1974, lost his retention vote, following several then-recent unpopular decisions, according to the Lycoming Law Association.