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WILKES-BARRE — An order Tuesday afternoon from a county judge officially upholds voting district reconfiguration, tossing out two objections filed against it.
The order, signed by Luzerne County President Judge Richard M. Hughes III comes in response to a motion filed by Michael Butera, acting in his capacity as solicitor for the county’s Board of Elections.
Butera filed a motion to deny two objections filed by Luzerne County Council candidate Walter Griffith and Kingston resident Brian Shiner last week. Griffith and Shiner filed objections against a previous order signed by Hughes approving a series of changes to polling places around the county.
Griffith’s and Shiner’s objections, which were materially the same, argued against moving ahead with the plan without an election director to oversee it after the departure of Marisa Crispell. They also note the length of time between now and the November election.
“The ability of the Luzerne County Board of Elections and the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections to accomplish this task in just 54 days is a risk and a catastrophe waiting to happen and can potentially disenfranchise thousands of voters in our county and should be not be granted by this honorable court,” Griffith’s petition said.
Butera’s filing Tuesday asked for their objections to be denied and dismissed, claiming that neither Griffith nor Shiner attended a court hearing on the morning of Sept. 6 on the approval of the redistricting.
Butera called their objections “bold allegations” that the county would not be able to successfully implement the redistricting, and, “had either one of them appeared, they would have realized that there was no merit to either of these allegations.”
Hughes’ order on Monday seems to agree with Butera’s claims, with a footnote reading as follows:
“In reviewing the record the Court notes that the issues raised in the objections were thoroughly addressed at the (Sept. 6) hearing, no new information was provided nor any allegations as to violations of law presented as to the hearing. The Court further notes that the Sept. 6 hearing was properly advertised and the Objectors were not in attendance.”
As such, Hughes dismissed Griffith’s and Shiner’s objections, noting the court’s previous order is final.
Griffith’s objections previously sparked harsh criticism from Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri, who said “This is nothing new” from Griffith. Pedri continued his admonishment of Griffith on Tuesday, while also praising Hughes’ order.
“Before Walter Griffith’s previous lawsuit against the county was thrown out for being without merit, he cost the county taxpayers thousands of dollars,” Pedri said in a text message to a reporter on Tuesday. “I’m pleased that the courts saw through this stunt by Mr. Griffith before he could inflict more damage. The county will now focus on the job at hand — running an efficient and fair election.”
Hughes’ previous order, which is now official, redefines numerous districts and changes polling places.
Two districts have been added in Dallas, Sugarloaf and Wright townships, while Butler, Fairview, Kingston and Rice townships each receive one more.
One voting district each has been eliminated in Freeland and Luzerne boroughs and Black Creek and Newport townships.
Boundary lines also shift in Salem Township and Kingston to even out voter counts, but the number of districts remains the same.