Paula J. Painter, who lost the Republican primary prothonotary race in May, has been nominated as the Democratic candidate for the general election.

The losing candidate for prothonotary in the primary election has switched from Republican to Democrat, so she can run again for the position in November.

The county Democratic Committee announced on Wednesday morning that it has nominated Paula Painter as its candidate for prothonotary in the Nov. 5 general election after the original Democratic prothonotary candidate, Daniel Smith withdrew from the race to pursue a Congressional seat in 2020.

Painter ran against Kelly Ferrari in the primary election in May. Ferrari beat Painter by more than 2,500 votes on the Republican ticket.

Painter said on Wednesday that she was a Democrat until 2003, when she began working at the prothonotary's office, where she is now first deputy.

She switched to the Republican party at that time to assist current prothonotary Glenna Walters in her run for re-election in 2004.

She said win or lose in November, she will remain a Democrat.

This is an excerpt — pick up Thursday's Butler Eagle to read what Painter and Catherine LaLonde, the county Democratic Committee chairwoman, had to say.