Delegate-elect Wayne Hartman, sheriff’s race victor Matt Crisafulli and State’s Attorney-elect Kris Heiser — congratulations on races well run and elections well won. Congratulations also to the Judges of the Orphans’ Court, Linda Hess, Cheryl Jacobs and Mike Diffendal, who will serve on a deliberative panel whose importance often goes unrecognized until the day that it must help settle the estate of a departed family member.

For the above officials, the election season is all but over, while the races for the State Senate, four Worcester County Commissioner openings and Register of Wills will heat up as it they head toward the November showdown.

One aspect of the primary election that should be noted is that members of the Republican Party appear to have turned out in far greater numbers than their Democratic counterparts. In the absence of a statistical breakdown, it might be said that the Republicans voted in this election, while the Democrats participated.

That kind of vote differential doesn’t bode well for Eastern Shore Democrats this fall, as GOP voters, having shown how energized the party is in this preliminary round, are likely to turn out in even greater numbers this fall.

That, of course, probably won’t matter to Hartman, Crisafulli and Heiser, who, barring some bizarre circumstance in November, await only to be sworn in.

In the meantime, they will use this time to plan their approaches to the work that lies ahead. For Hartman, that means learning the structure and protocols of a new level of government, while Crisafulli and Heiser already understand the offices they will hold and no doubt have long thought about what they would do if they were in charge.

In that vein, our advice is stick to the platforms that got them elected and to be as open as possible with the public, with the latter being one of the best ways to ensure continued public support and successful terms in office.

And again, congratulations.