Luzerne County Council elections
The Luzerne County Council is elected by the voters of the county. The governing body consists of eleven members. Nearly half the council is up for election every two years. It rotates between five and six seats. Each council member is elected at-large (to a four-year term). Councilors may serve no more than three consecutive terms.[1]
In the May primary, the major political parties (Democratic and Republican) select their top candidates for the general election. For example, those who place in the top five or six become the nominees of their party. Third party (or independent) candidates may also join the race. In the November general election, all political parties/candidates square off on the same ballot. Those who place in the top five or six will be elected or re-elected to council.
Background
On Tuesday, November 2, 2010, Luzerne County adopted a home rule charter by a margin of 51,413 to 41,639.[2][3] The following year (in 2011), the first election for the new government was held. On Monday, January 2, 2012, the previous government (the board of county commissioners) was abolished and replaced with the new form of government (council–manager government). The first members of the Luzerne County Council were sworn in that same day. The council chair, who is appointed by his or her fellow council members, is both the highest-ranking officer on the council and the head of county government for ceremonial purposes.[4] The first council chair was Jim Bobeck.[5]
Elections
2011
The first general election for the Luzerne County Council was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. The first eleven councilors were elected. They included: Rick Morelli, Stephen A. Urban, Jim Bobeck, Stephen J. Urban, Tim McGinley, Edward Brominski, Harry Haas, Rick Williams, Elaine Maddon Curry, Linda McClosky Houck, and Eugene Kelleher. To this day, Rick Morelli is the only Republican to come in first in a general election, and he is the only candidate (Democrat or Republican) to receive the most votes (25,026).[6][7]
| Seats after the election | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of seats | ||||
| Democratic | 6 | ||||
| Republican | 4 | ||||
| Independent | 1 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick Morelli | 25,026 | 5.25 | ||
| Democratic | Stephen A. Urban | 23,657 | 4.97 | ||
| Democratic | Jim Bobeck | 23,412 | 4.91 | ||
| Republican | Stephen J. Urban | 22,598 | 4.74 | ||
| Democratic | Tim McGinley | 21,654 | 4.54 | ||
| Democratic | Edward A. Brominski | 21,630 | 4.54 | ||
| Republican | Harry Haas | 21,299 | 4.47 | ||
| Independent | Rick Williams | 20,359 | 4.27 | ||
| Democratic | Elaine Maddon Curry | 19,593 | 4.11 | ||
| Democratic | Linda McClosky Houck | 19,375 | 4.07 | ||
| Republican | Eugene L. Kelleher | 18,867 | 3.96 | ||
| Democratic | Eileen M. Sorokas | 18,811 | 3.95 | ||
| Republican | John Ruckno | 18,594 | 3.90 | ||
| Democratic | Jane Walsh-Waitkus | 18,419 | 3.87 | ||
| Republican | Kathleen M. Dobash | 17,556 | 3.68 | ||
| Democratic | Michelle Bednar | 17,532 | 3.68 | ||
| Democratic | Salvatore Licata | 16,601 | 3.48 | ||
| Republican | Blythe H. Evans III | 16,261 | 3.41 | ||
| Republican | William Bill James | 15,611 | 3.28 | ||
| Republican | Joyce Dombroski-Gebhardt | 14,723 | 3.09 | ||
| Democratic | M. Theresa Morcavage | 14,299 | 3.00 | ||
| Republican | Gina Nevenglosky | 13,849 | 2.91 | ||
| Republican | Michael Cabell | 12,855 | 2.70 | ||
| Libertarian | Michael A. Lacey | 11,108 | 2.33 | ||
| Independent | Jeremy Packard | 11,095 | 2.33 | ||
| Libertarian | Tim Mullen | 10,770 | 2.26 | ||
| American Independent | Charlie Bible Buck Hatchko | 6,309 | 1.32 | ||
| Libertarian | Brian R. Bergman | 3,734 | 0.78 | ||
| Write-in | 862 | 0.18 | |||
| Total votes | 476,459 | ||||
2013
The second general election was held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. Five seats were up for election. Elaine Maddon Curry did not seek re-election. Councilwoman Linda McClosky Houck was the top vote getter (with 18,980 votes). Eileen Sorokas and Kathy Dobash were both newly elected to the council. Eugene Kelleher was the only incumbent to lose his seat in the general election. In the end, the number of seats per political party remained the same — six Democrats, four Republicans, and one independent.[8]
| Seats after the election | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of seats | ||||
| Democratic | 6 | ||||
| Republican | 4 | ||||
| Independent | 1 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Linda McClosky Houck (Incumbent) | 18,980 | 10.18 | ||
| Democratic | Eileen M. Sorokas | 18,287 | 9.81 | ||
| Republican | Kathy Dobash | 17,829 | 9.56 | ||
| Republican | Harry Haas (Incumbent) | 17,552 | 9.41 | ||
| Independent | Rick Williams (Incumbent) | 17,226 | 9.24 | ||
| Republican | Sue Rossi | 17,147 | 9.20 | ||
| Democratic | Richard Kick Heffron | 16,929 | 9.08 | ||
| Democratic | Renee Ciaruffoli Taffera | 16,560 | 8.88 | ||
| Republican | Eugene L. Kelleher (Incumbent) | 16,339 | 8.76 | ||
| Democratic | Michael Giamber | 15,345 | 8.23 | ||
| Republican | Paul M. Defabo | 13,586 | 7.29 | ||
| Write-in | 688 | 0.37 | |||
| Total votes | 186,468 | ||||
2015
The third general election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2015. Six seats were up for election. Jim Bobeck and Rick Morelli did not seek re-election. During the May primary, Democrat Robert Schnee lost the Democratic nomination, but won the Republican nomination with 384 write-in votes.[9] In the November general election, Robert Schnee and Jane Walsh Waitkus were both newly elected to the council. Even though Schnee won the election as a Republican, he went on to serve as a Democrat. Former Councilman Eugene Kelleher, who lost his seat two years earlier, was elected in 2015. Stephen J. Urban was the only incumbent to lose his seat in the general election.[10]
| Seats after the election | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of seats | ||||
| Democratic | 7 | ||||
| Republican | 3 | ||||
| Independent | 1 | ||||
| Note: Even though Robert W. Schnee won the general election as a Republican, he went on to serve as a Democrat. | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tim McGinley (Incumbent) | 23,892 | 10.37 | ||
| Democratic | Edward A. Brominski (Incumbent) | 21,066 | 9.14 | ||
| Democratic | Stephen A. Urban (Incumbent) | 20,967 | 9.10 | ||
| Republican | Eugene L. Kelleher | 20,331 | 8.82 | ||
| Democratic | Jane Walsh Waitkus | 20,287 | 8.80 | ||
| Republican | Robert W. Schnee | 19,487 | 8.46 | ||
| Republican | Stephen J. Urban (Incumbent) | 19,117 | 8.29 | ||
| Democratic | John Gadomski | 18,214 | 7.90 | ||
| Democratic | Anthony J. Rostock | 17,661 | 7.66 | ||
| Republican | Marc Dixon | 17,577 | 7.63 | ||
| Republican | Ray Gustave | 16,491 | 7.16 | ||
| Republican | Mark A. Rabo | 14,898 | 6.46 | ||
| Write-in | 486 | 0.21 | |||
| Total votes | 230,474 | ||||
2017
The fourth general election was held on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. Five seats were up for election. Kathy Dobash, Eileen Sorokas, and Rick Williams (the only independent on the council) did not seek re-election.[11][12] Sheila Saidman, Matthew Vough, and Chris R. Perry were newly elected to the council.[13][14] In the end, the Democratic majority grew from seven seats to eight.
| Seats after the election | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of seats | ||||
| Democratic | 8 | ||||
| Republican | 3 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sheila Saidman | 21,415 | 10.92 | ||
| Democratic | Matthew Vough | 20,393 | 10.39 | ||
| Democratic | Linda McClosky Houck (Incumbent) | 20,380 | 10.39 | ||
| Republican | Harry Haas (Incumbent) | 20,328 | 10.36 | ||
| Republican | Chris R. Perry | 20,138 | 10.26 | ||
| Republican | Stephen J. Urban | 19,770 | 10.08 | ||
| Democratic | Wendy Cominsky | 19,375 | 9.88 | ||
| Republican | Marc Dixon | 19,125 | 9.75 | ||
| Democratic | John Gadomski | 18,349 | 9.35 | ||
| Republican | Gregory S. Wolovich Jr. | 16,631 | 8.48 | ||
| Write-in | 278 | 0.14 | |||
| Total votes | 196,182 | ||||
2019
The primary is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Six seats are up for election. There will be six Democratic nominees, six Republican nominees, and potentially several independent/third party candidates seeking office. The fifth general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Those who place in the top six on Election Day will go on to serve as councilors.
References
- ↑ http://citizensvoice.com/opinion/our-choices-for-luzerne-county-council-1.2264197
- ↑ Voters say 'yes' to home rule - News. Standard Speaker (2010-11-03). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/departments_agencies/bureau_of_elections/election-results-archive
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/row_offices/controller/home-rule-charter
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UoGiwHEvpA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UoGiwHEvpA
- ↑ http://www.luzernecounty.org/county/departments_agencies/bureau_of_elections/election-results-archive
- ↑ http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/PA/Luzerne/49875/123456/Web01/en/summary.html
- ↑ http://citizensvoice.com/news/schnee-kelleher-win-write-in-nominations-for-county-council-1.1889313
- ↑ http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/PA/Luzerne/57823/157107/Web01/en/summary.html
- ↑ http://standardspeaker.com/news/luzerne-council-seats-will-be-open-1.2164627
- ↑ http://www.timesleader.com/news/local/671875/luzerne-county-councilman-rick-williams-wont-run-again
- ↑ http://www.timesleader.com/news/local/687140/luzerne-county-council-chairmanship-decision-tuesday
- ↑ http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/PA/Luzerne/71889/191579/Web01/en/summary.html