Luzerne County Councilman Robert Schnee selected as Republican state representative contender in 116th District

Luzerne County Councilman Robert Schnee will be the Republican contender for a vacant state representative seat in the 116th Legislative District, county Republican Chairman P.J. Pribula said Thursday night.

The county Democratic Party had announced earlier in the day its selection of Butler Township resident Amilcar Arroyo to run for the seat.

The winner will be selected in a special election April 5 and serve through this year, filling a seat vacated by Tarah Toohil now that she is a county judge.

Pribula verified the selection of Schnee through a message but was still in a meeting and not immediately available to provide further comment.

Schnee, 62, of Sugarloaf Township, had said early last month he was “very interested” in receiving the county Republican Party nomination to run for the seat.

A retired Hazleton City Authority meter reader from Sugarloaf Township, Schnee said he has a reputation for fighting for the elderly, people in need and working families.

“I love the people in this area and will do anything in my capability to get them help and funds they need,” he had said.

He also pledged to fight two Interstate 80 tolls and the state’s closing of the White Haven Center and to push for equitable funding for the Hazleton Area School District, saying districts of equal enrollment are receiving higher payments under the current system.

Schnee has been serving on county council since 2016 and is midway through his second, four-year term. He said he would be permitted to remain on council while running for the special election seat but would be required to step down if he is elected.

There are 33 voting precincts and approximately 33,873 registered voters in the 116th District.

State House Speaker Bryan Cutler ordered the special election last month, saying he did not want to hold it during the May 17 primary because that is when candidates will be running for the next full two-year seat in the 116th District to serve in 2023 and 2024.

New legislative boundary maps also will apply to the primary but not the special election.

The state will reimburse the county for the cost of the special election, officials said.

As it stands under the current maps, the 116th district does not extend beyond the county and partially or fully includes the following municipalities: Hazleton; the boroughs of Conyngham, Nescopeck, New Columbus and Shickshinny; and the townships of Black Creek, Butler, Conyngham, Dorrance, Hazle, Hollenback, Huntington, Nescopeck, Salem, Sugarloaf and Union.

Under the state’s schedule for the special election, the state has until March 6, or about a month before the election, to present the certified list of candidates to the county.