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. Councilors may serve no more than three consecutive terms.
In the May primary, the major political parties 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 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. The following year, the first election for the new government was held. On Monday, January 2, 2012, the previous government was abolished and replaced with the new form of 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. The first council chair was Jim Bobeck.Elections
2011
The first general election for Luzerne County Council was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. The first eleven members were elected. Initially, the political makeup of council consisted of six Democrats, four Republicans, and one independent. The first councilors were 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. Rick Morelli was the highest vote-getter. The newly elected government was sworn in on January 2, 2012. Democrat Jim Bobeck, who came in third during the general election, was appointed by his fellow council members to serve as the first council chair.| Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election |
| Party | Party | Number of seats | - | - | - |
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. Eileen Sorokas and Kathy Dobash were both newly elected to 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.| Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election |
| Party | Party | Number of seats | - | - | - |
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. In the November general election, Robert Schnee and Jane Walsh-Waitkus were both newly elected to 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.| Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election |
| Party | Party | Number of seats | - | - | - |
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 did not seek re-election. Sheila Saidman, Matthew Vough, and Chris R. Perry were newly elected to council. In the end, the Democratic majority grew from seven seats to eight.| Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election |
| Party | Party | Number of seats | - | - | - |
2019
The fifth general election was held on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Six seats were up for election. Republican Eugene Kelleher and Democrat Stephen A. Urban did not seek re-election. Democratic Councilman Edward Brominski, who was up for re-election that year, resigned in January 2019 due to health issues. By February, the council appointed Patrick Bilbow to serve out the remainder of his term.During the primary—Tuesday, May 21—the Democrats managed to fill all six nomination slots. The Democratic nominees were Tim McGinley, Joseph Sebastianelli, Jane Walsh-Waitkus, Patrick Bilbow, Robert Schnee, and Anup Patel.
Only four Republicans appeared on the primary ballot. They comfortably secured their party's nomination. The Republican nominees were Stephen J. Urban, Walter Griffith, Kendra Radle, and Gregory Wolovich. Lee Ann McDermott, with 454 write-in votes, and Councilman Robert Schnee, with 417 write-in votes, filled the two remaining Republican slots. Because Schnee had also won the Democratic nomination, he became the only candidate in council history to appear on the November ballot as both a Democrat and a Republican.
During the November general election, the balance of power shifted for the first time in council history—the Republicans secured a majority. Republicans Lee Ann McDermott, Walter Griffith, and Kendra Radle were newly elected to council. Former Republican Councilman Stephen J. Urban, who lost his seat four years earlier, was also elected. Democrats Patrick Bilbow and Jane Walsh-Waitkus were the only two incumbents to lose their seats. Due to straight-party voting and the fact that he appeared on the ballot as both a Democrat and a Republican, Robert Schnee became the highest vote-getter in council history. He continued serving in government as a Democrat.
| Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election | Seats after the election |
| Party | Party | Number of seats | - | - | - |
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