Election proofing samples removed from Luzerne County website

Luzerne County Election Director Emily Cook said she removed May 19 primary election proofing ballots from the county website due to unacceptable “instances of abusive behavior directed at our staff.”

After reaching out to primary candidates by mail and text to verify their ballot information, Cook also posted the latest snapshot versions of the Republican and Democratic ballots online so the public could review the names and offices. Citizens were asked to email the bureau if they spotted any spelling issues or errors.

Cook said her office detected confusing wording about the shading of bubbles and was in the process of correcting it as part of the proofing process still underway, intending to repost the samples. However, she said some citizens also noticed this wording and used the situation to accuse the office of incompetence.

“Consequently, we will no longer be posting proofing ballots in the future. Our priority is to maintain a respectful environment for our team and our voters,” Cook wrote in an online message. “We will continue to work closely with leadership from the local political parties and the Election Board to ensure accurate ballots to all voters in all future elections.”

Once proofing is complete, the county Election Bureau will send the ballots to be printed for both mail ballots and use at the polls on Election Day, Cook said.

Under the county’s new voting system, polling place voters will fill out selections on paper ballots and then feed them into Hart InterCivic scanners for tallying. Previously, voters made selections on computerized touchscreen ballot-marking devices, printed the ballot for review, and then fed it into a tabulator. A ballot-marking device will still be set up at each polling place for voters with disabilities.

Cook said the county will print enough primary election mail ballots for all registered voters to ensure there are no shortages.

White Haven Center

County Council did not discuss the White Haven Center last week as scheduled because the voting meeting and work session ran 4.5 hours.

A former residential care facility for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the 23-building property on nearly 183 acres off Interstate 80 in Foster Township has been vacant since 2023. The state has no use for the property and must spend approximately $4 million annually to maintain the complex and prevent further deterioration until ownership is transferred to another entity.

State officials reached out and asked the county to assist in determining the property’s next use.

The county administration is asking County Council for permission to apply for expertise from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Philadelphia, a nonprofit research and education organization that works to solve community and real estate challenges.

The application process will cost $20,000, and County Manager Romilda Crocamo has said she is optimistic the county will receive reimbursement.

Mark Baylis, of the nonprofit Valor Clinic Foundation, attended last week’s meeting to find out if he would have an opportunity to meet with ULI as part of its planning. Valor wants to occupy the site to provide affordable housing, vocational training, and other services for veterans. That plan should be self-sustaining but would require government funding assistance for implementation, he had said.

Crocamo told Baylis that his group will be included in the discussions if the UTI application is authorized by council and accepted.

Council is expected to discuss the matter at its next work session on April 14.

Suicide prevention

The county had 67 suicide deaths in 2025, compared to 54 the previous year.

During last week’s work session, county Mental Health/Developmental Services Administrator Tara Fox asked County Council to approve an online suicide prevention and intervention training initiative to help participants identify warning signs and communicate with those who may need support.

The training through LivingWorks Education USA would be available at no cost to all county employees and, eventually, to residents and providers, to complete at their own pace and on their own schedule, Fox has said.

Using MH/DS base funding, the county would purchase 3,000 single-use licenses for $44,850 and have the option to obtain an additional 2,000 licenses for $9,900, if needed, the agenda said.

Fox has said most of the county’s suicide victims are men and have self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

The LivingWorks contract likely will be on council’s April 14 voting agenda.