Luzerne County’s Election Board is scheduled to vote Wednesday on certifying Nov. 7 general election ballot questions in Jenkins Township, Nanticoke and the county.
The county referendum is the most complicated because it would reconstitute the election board itself and requires voters to decide if they want to make several changes.
Election board members must certify the wording of all ballot questions and a “plain English” explanation of the purpose, limitation and effects of ballot questions, the county law office has indicated.
In Jenkins Township, the ballot question asks voters if they will allow the township to raise taxes 0.5 mill solely to provide dedicated funding to emergency services.
A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property, and 0.5 mill would equate to $50 more annually for a property assessed at $100,000.
Nanticoke City Council is proposing questions asking voters if they want to eliminate city home rule charter term limits for city council and the mayor.
The city’s charter currently limits both city council members and the mayor to three consecutive, elected terms.
County question
A county council majority had voted in June to approve Councilman Gregory S. Wolovich Jr.’s ballot question asking voters if they want to reconstitute the five-citizen election board.
The referendum asks voters, in part, if they want council to appoint the fifth election board member of any affiliation instead of leaving that choice up to the four council-appointed members (two Democrats and two Republicans).
This fifth board seat also would be filled every two years instead of four years, and the fifth member also would not automatically serve as board chair as stated in the charter. Instead, board members could select any board member as chair.
The amendment also would vacate the current election board in January if the question passes, although…
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