Public forum scheduled Thursday for Republican Luzerne County Council candidates

Luzerne County’s Republican Party is holding a public forum for all nine Republican county council contenders Thursday evening at the Luzerne County Community College.

County Republican Chairman Gene Ziemba said Wednesday that county Controller Walter Griffith was instrumental in setting up the forum to help the party’s voters learn more about the candidates.

The forum will start at 5:30 p.m. and is scheduled to run until 8 p.m. at the college’s auditorium (building 30), 521 Trailblazer Drive in Nanticoke.

Ziemba said all nine Republican candidates have agreed to attend the forum: Thomas Dombroski, Ronald D. Knapp, Kevin Lescavage, John Lombardo, Jackie Scarcella, Brian Thornton, Stephen J. Urban, Rob Viars and Greg Wolovich.

Republican and Democratic voters will each select five nominees in the May 20 primary election. Those 10 will then advance to the November general election, when all voters are free to select five of any affiliation.

Ziemba will ask the questions during Thursday’s forum based on submissions from audience members and online at gopforumquestions@gmail.com.

Candidates will have three minutes to respond.

One question Ziemba personally wants to ask with a yes-or-no answer required: If a candidate is not among the five primary nominees, will he or she support the other nominees for the general election?

Ziemba encourages voters to take advantage of the opportunity, saying it was organized to help them decide their selections.

Democrats

Seven Democrats are seeking that party’s five nominations in the primary: Chris Belles, Steven M. Coslett, Tony Perzia, Johnny Price, Dawn Simmons, Emily Singh and Denise Williams.

Democratic Chairman Thomas Shubilla said the party’s candidates will discuss their platforms in a “meet the candidates night” May 8 hosted by the county Democratic Party, with a $10 ticket purchase required.

The event will run from 5 to 8 p.m. at Keeley’s Alehouse and Grille, 99 Division St. in Pringle.