Two seats on Luzerne County’s five-citizen election board must be filled in early 2026

Two seats on Luzerne County’s five-citizen election board must be filled in early 2026 — one Republican and one Democrat.

Republican Alyssa Fusaro and Democrat Daniel Schramm will complete their terms at the end of this year, and both said they won’t be seeking reappointment.

The volunteer board is a high-profile independent body because it oversees election procedures, makes determinations on flagged ballots and write-in votes, and certifies election results.

County Council appoints citizens for two Democratic and two Republican seats on the board, including the two with expiring terms. The four council-appointed members select a citizen of any affiliation or no affiliation to fill the fifth seat and serve as board chair.

The terms of the two remaining council-appointed members — Democrat Albert Schlosser and Republican Rick Morelli — expire at the end of 2027. Chairwoman Christine Boyle, a Democrat, serves until Feb. 26, 2029.

In making appointments, council must select applicants on its eligibility list.

Citizens must be publicly interviewed by council’s Authorities, Boards and Commissions Committee and meet other conditions to be placed on the eligibility list for the election board.

There are currently no Republican applicants on the list.

Two Democrats are on the list: past county public defender Al Flora and prior election board member Audrey Serniak.

However, Serniak would have to reapply because she was placed on the eligibility list Dec. 7, 2023, and council requires fresh interviews for those already on the list after two years. Serniak, who has been faithfully attending the board’s post-election adjudication as a citizen observer in recent days, said she has not decided if she will reapply.

The Authorities, Boards and Commissions Committee is expected to hold a public interview session in December for applicants interested in serving on county boards.

Applications are posted under council’s section of the website at luzernecounty.org.

The decision on filling the two election board seats will fall to the reorganized council in 2026, as appointments cannot be made before the seats are vacated. Based on the Nov. 4 general election results, the following will serve on council: Democrats Chris Belles (new), Joanna Bryn Smith, Steve Coslett (new), Patty Krushnowsk, Jimmy Sabatino, Dawn Simmons (new), Brittany Stephenson, and Denise Williams (new) and Republicans Harry Haas, John Lombardo (re-elected), and LeeAnn McDermott.

While council is free to continue seeking applicants in 2026, it will have a time limit to make board appointments. After a seat is vacant for 60 days, a citizen can petition the County Court of Common Pleas to fill it. A majority vote of county judges would be required to appoint someone within 30 days.

That came close to happening before Fusaro was ultimately appointed in March 2022.

Council members had nominated Fusaro and Republican Richard Nardone for appointment consideration that February. Short two council members at that meeting, the vote was 5-4, with neither receiving the required six votes.

Both Nardone and Fusaro subsequently filed court petitions asking the court to appoint them because council did not select someone within 60 days.

No court action was necessary because the full council reached majority consensus at a subsequent meeting, with six choosing Fusaro and the other five supporting the reappointment of Nardone.

Schramm was appointed in February 2022.

A retired Kingston resident, Schramm said he is not seeking reappointment because he must concentrate on responsibilities at home. However, he plans to stay involved in a limited capacity as a temporary worker assisting with ballot processing on Election Day.

Fusaro, of Luzerne, said there are multiple factors in her decision not to seek reappointment, but she declined to go into specifics at this time.

Both Schramm and Fusaro said their work on the board exposed them to the complexity of the election process.

“Most people don’t realize how much is involved in elections,” Schramm said.

For those interested in the seats, there are several eligibility restrictions in the county’s home rule charter that apply to the election board.

Citizens cannot serve on the election board if they are an elected county or public official, a county or public employee or a member or employee of any other county authority, board or commission. Furthermore, appointees can’t be a political party officer or a paid consultant, contractor or employee of an entity serving as a contractor of the county or any county authority, board or commission.

These prohibitions go beyond current circumstances and apply four years prior to appointment.

Other openings

To ensure citizens are aware of all openings, Council Clerk Sharon Lawrence last month publicly advertised a list of boards that now have vacant seats or will when the terms of current members expire the end of this year, including the election board.

The list of others: Accountability Conduct and Ethics Commission; Area Agency on Aging Advisory Board; Arts Advisory Board; Board of Tax Assessment Appeals; Blighted Property Review Committee; Children, Youth and Families Advisory Board; Convention and Visitors Bureau; Convention Center Authority; County Cares Commission; Drug and Alcohol Executive Commission; Farmland Preservation Board; Flood Protection Authority; Forty-Fort Airport Advisory Board; Industrial Development Authority; Luzerne Conservation District Board of Directors; County Community College Board of Trustees; Transportation Authority; Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board; Mental Health and Developmental Services Program Advisory Board; Northeastern Pennsylvania Health and Higher Education Authority; Planning Commission; Recreational Facilities Advisory Board; and Zoning Hearing Board.

The list of citizens eligible for appointment is posted at luzernecounty.org and will be updated with new additions after the next interview session is completed.