Walter Griffith: Citizens have exceeded signature requirement for anti-discrimination ordinance repeal referendum

Citizens have collected more than 14,000 voter signatures seeking a 2027 primary election ballot referendum to repeal Luzerne County’s new anti-discrimination ordinance — well over the 11,615 signatures required, group organizer Walter Griffith said on Friday.

Griffith, a prior county controller, said he got “choked up” when the tally was announced at a Thursday night petition rally event at the American Legion in Swoyersville, which included an appearance by U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

The county’s home rule charter gave citizens the power to put ordinance repeals on the ballot for voters to decide, but the option has not been exercised since the 2012 implementation of home rule, largely due to the steep signature requirement and tight turnaround.

Griffith said several Republican legislators and officials also attended Thursday’s rally, which was scheduled to provide a signature status report and celebrate those involved in the effort with pizza and soda.

The group will continue to collect signatures through Saturday’s deadline and file the petition with Council Clerk Sharon Lawrence on Monday, he said.

“I think we will be close to 15,000 signatures when we’re finished,” Griffith said, adding that credit goes to a large team of volunteer circulators.

The anti-discrimination ordinance requires local adjudication of complaints that extend beyond county government and involve employment, housing, healthcare, education, and establishments that sell goods or services to the general public.

Under a separate proposed ordinance pending council approval, a 13-citizen commission appointed by council would be vested with the authority to administer and enforce the ordinance and must receive “sufficient administrative and legal support” from the county Human Resources Department and Office of Law to carry out its powers and duties, including assistance with the intake of discrimination complaints and investigation of filed complaints.

Griffith said many citizens contacted circulators to sign, and that his group did “not have to bend people’s arms” to get involved.

He said the ability of circulators to gather that many signatures within 60 days of a council majority’s June 9 ordinance passage is “huge.” In his opinion, it shows “outrage” and that “people are tired” of a council majority’s focus on “an agenda.”

“This shows there are checks on council. Home rule has checks and balances,” Griffith said of the petition effort.

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