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By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOBoyle on Twitter

and Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Andrew M. Seder on Facebook   |   @TLAndrewSeder on Twitter

Editor’s Note: Are voters enraged by official misdeeds and anxious to see real change in their towns, school boards and county courthouse? Or have negativity and a crowded ballot only made them more cynical and less willing to exercise their constitutional right to choose their government leaders?

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Marie Gregory, of Hunlock Creek, said recent judicial scandals are not the reason she'll go to the polls Tuesday. She said she always exercises her right to vote.

Aimee Dilger / The Times Leader

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The answer may come in Tuesday’s primary elections. In anticipation, The Times Leader asked potential voters throughout the county if they planned to go to the polls and whether they believe their votes will make a difference.

Luzerne County voters will head to the polls for Tuesday’s primary elections with the echo of nearly two years of public scandals ringing in their ears.

Two judges have been booted from the bench after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges; a school superintendent and a school director faces charges of taking bribes; the county prothonotary resigned and is cooperating in ongoing investigations and other courthouse officials have acknowledged stealing money and obstructing justice.

Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryann Petrilla, a Democrat, said this election is a “critical, critical time for us to change the way people throughout the state and nation perceive Luzerne County.” She said all registered voters should take pride in their right to vote.

“We have to elect people who have the taxpayers’ best interests at heart,” Petrilla said. “We need new fresh people coming in with good ideas.

“Turnout should be high for every election,” Petrilla said. “We should break records and I hope we do.”

Lou Barletta, the Republican mayor of Hazleton, said this election should start the process of the people taking back their county.

“There’s an old saying – if you don’t vote, don’t complain about what you get,” Barletta said. “With all of the corruption that we have seen, the importance of voting should be obvious. If this doesn’t do it, I don’t know what will.

“If the turnout is low, people are saying they don’t care,” he said. “And then they will have to live with the decisions they decided not to make.”

While some potential voters interviewed last week cited the scandals as motivation, many said they will turn out Tuesday because they always do – that it’s a privilege they feel strongly about and they don’t need additional motivation.Others said they won’t vote because they don’t believe it matters, that they would only be picking one crooked politician over another. Those that say they will vote are, for the most part, eyeing certain races more than others.

Here are some of the responses:

Weis Markets, Nanticoke

Judy Shalata, of Nanticoke, is one of those motivated by the scandals to take action.

“I’m disgusted with all of it,” she said. “I’m interested in the judicial race and the whole county courthouse issue. We need to make changes.”

Mike Bohan of Nanticoke, Marie Gregory of Hunlock Creek, Barbara Walk of Nanticoke, Dave Russin of Glen Lyon and Rosalie Roote of Nanticoke all said they will vote because it’s their right and all Americans should do the same. The judicial scandals do not figure in their decisions to turn out.

Blue Comet Diner, Hazleton

Customers were eager to talk about the election. Most said they will go to the polls and do what they can to end corruption.

Still, Kristin Smith, of Hazleton, wondered if it will make a difference.

“But there always seems to be scandal somewhere,” she said. “Can we ever get a clean sweep?”

David, Arthur and Sylvia Jones of Hazleton will vote, but agree it’s hard to know who and what to believe. Arthur Jones hopes a change in party will help.

“I’m thoroughly disgusted with the Democratic Party,” he said. “Politics has really gotten to be so corrupt. I’m going to switch to Republican or Independent after this election.”

David Jones worries that candidates who appear honest and caring could turn out to be otherwise.

“They get in there and take a bite out of the poison apple and sell the public out,” he said.

Turkey Hill, Mountain Top

Emily Amendola believes voting is important and that it may make a difference this year.

“It gives you a voice in the process,” she said. “And this time, we have the chance to make certain scandals won’t happen again.”

Stephanie Smith of Wilkes-Barre agreed, saying, “It’s imperative that the county doesn’t have a repeat of what’s been going on.” She said she is especially interested in the judicial and Wilkes-Barre Area School Board races.

Susan Moran, of Mountain Top, said she is always motivated and enjoys being part of the process.

“Voters can’t sit back and complain,” she said.

Redner’s Warehouse Market, Pittston Township

With a competitive race for the Pittston Area School Board and contentious contests for Pittston City Council and mayor and the Pittston Township Board of Supervisors, politics are lively in the home of the Tomato Festival.

“I want to see things done,” Ray Mellow of Pittston said. “I usually vote for mayor and city council. The county candidates aren’t a big deal to me. I’m not politically involved. But I’ll vote.”

Others, like Kimberly Hozlock, Pittston, said they will vote no matter who’s on the ballot.

“It’s just my right to do it and I always do,” Hozlock said, explaining that she has a good sense of the candidates.

Others readily acknowledged they haven’t studied the ballot choices but that wouldn’t keep them away from the polls.

“I don’t even know who’s running but I always vote,” said Nora Shandra of Pittston.

With the Pittston Area superintendent being arrested and stepping down, questions raised about the juvenile detention center in Pittston Township and the mess at the county courthouse, voters have plenty to mull.

“I’m always interested in the Pittston School Board. There’s been a lot of corruption there. Hopefully, we can straighten that all out,” said Sam Mendola of Pittston Township. In addition to the school board race, where 10 candidates are vying for four spots, he said the Pittston Township supervisors’ race is important to him too, as is the judge election.

“It’s all black and white with those three,” Mendola said. “We’ve got to get these guys out of there.”

Bill Hewitt, also of Pittston Township, said the judicial race has piqued his interest but the local supervisor contest with seven candidates vying for two seats is also something he’s chomping at the bit to cast votes for.

White House Diner, Forty Fort

Joe Ruscavage, of Swoyersville, said races for borough council and mayor have sparked his interest.

“We have certain people running that have no business running for office. All they are in the town are troublemakers,” he said.

While the ballot is chock-full of races, he said he’d be surprised to see a large turnout countywide. He blamed voter apathy, mistrust in elected officials and “too many” people running for judge.

Still, he hopes voters will “put their best foot forward and come out to vote.”

“I think they’re basically fed up with what’s going on at the courthouse. I think this is their best shot,” Ruscavage said.

Sentiments run along the same lines in other parts of the county.

Francene Tearpock-Martini of Shickshinny said she’ll always vote, even if the ballot has no contested races on it.

“I’ve always taken an interest in voting. I’ve never once missed an election. People get the government they deserve if they don’t come out to vote,” she said, adding that her key interest is the Shickshinny Borough Council race which has three seats open but only one candidate on the ballot.

For the most part, there is no lack of races this election. With county, school board, municipal and state races filling the ballot, it can be hard to keep track of who’s who.

Susan Allen, Dallas, said she has a way to avoid confusion at the polls.

“The primary voting will be complicated,” she said. “There are so many candidates for the positions that it will be difficult to keep track of who I want to vote for. I will be bringing a sheet of paper with my decisions written on it.”

The scandals that have marred the county this past year could serve as a positive conduit to change, according to Tom Hannigan, of Dallas.

“This county probably needed its foundation rocked. It’s unfortunate it came in the form of all these scandals, which are a national black eye, but I believe good will emerge from it in the form of more voter turnout who will elect the right men and women to move the county forward.”

But Dallas resident Brenda Mills summed up the frustration many would-be voters expressed.

“I really don’t like anybody that’s running. I think whoever gets in keeps the corruption going, and we’re doomed to continue the same cycle. That’s politics here. I won’t even vote any more. Tuesday will be no different. November will mean more but I still probably won’t waste my time.”