The makeup of the new Westmoreland County Commissioners board is known, given the unofficial results of Tuesday's general election. But whether the two Democratic incumbents can make up with the Republican victor is another matter.

In this unusually acrimonious race, incumbents Tom Balya and Thomas C. Ceraso secured victory, but Republican Kim Ward, a Hempfield supervisor, ran strongly in the heavily Democratic county, coming within a hair of topping Mr. Balya, who led all vote-getters for the four-year term.

Shortly after all precincts were reported about midnight yesterday, Mr. Balya, 49, of Greensburg, and Mr. Ceraso, 43, of New Kensington, credited the nail-biter to what they called a "smear campaign" by Ms. Ward, 50, a former county Republican Party chairwoman, and her fellow GOP candidate, George Dunbar, 46, a Penn Township commissioner.

Mr. Balya, who won his fourth consecutive term, said the bitterness of the campaign would present some obstacles for the Democratic majority to work cooperatively with Ms. Ward on the board beginning in January.

"It's going to be a challenge," Mr. Balya said. "She doesn't just have to extend an olive branch to us, she's going to have to give us a whole olive tree for what she's done to us."

Mr. Ceraso, who won his third consecutive term, agreed and noted that the re-election of the incumbents indicated voters wanted a Democratic majority to remain.

"The people of Westmoreland County elected both of us, and we will continue to set the agenda and do the best we can for the county."

Neither GOP candidate was available for comment.

Unofficial results from the Elections Bureau showed Mr. Balya with 34,033 votes, or 26.23 percent, followed closely by Ms. Ward with 33,541 votes, or 25.85 percent. Mr. Ceraso had 32,303 votes, or 24.90 percent, and Mr. Dunbar trailed with 29,871 votes, or 23.02 percent.

Ms. Ward's finish -- only 492 votes behind Mr. Balya and 1,238 votes ahead of Mr. Ceraso -- was sharply different from the Republican showing four years ago, when the best a GOP candidate could do was to finish third, nearly 4,000 votes behind Mr. Ceraso at that.

In that general election, Mr. Balya led the ticket with 36,517 votes, Mr. Ceraso was second with 35,934, Terry Marolt had 31,959 and Eugene Porterfield, earned 28,599 votes.

Mr. Marolt subsequently died in office, and Republican Phil Light, 62, of Laurel Mountain, was appointed to the unexpired term in October 2004. Mr. Light chose not to run for a full term.

There has not been a Republican majority on the board since 1956.

In other unofficial results, all other Democratic incumbent row officeholders easily won new terms.

Treasurer Kathalyn O'Brien, 71, of Hempfield, defeated challenger Republican Frank E. Schiefer, 26, of Hempfield; Recorder of Deeds Tom Murphy, 43, of Arnold, was victorious over Republican challenger Patrick D. Laughlin, 64, of Greensburg; and Register of Wills Earl S. Keim II, 57, of Youngwood, bested Republican Wayne Doptis, of Monessen.

Controller Carmen Pedicone, 58, of Jeannette, and Sheriff Chris Scherer, 42, of Lower Burrell, were unopposed.

Common Pleas Judge Rita D. Hathaway and Judge William J. Ober won retention for new 10-year terms on the bench.