Several Luzerne County Council members said they have been informed Councilman Stephen J. Urban plans to make a motion this evening to remove a vote on his controversial ballot drop box ordinance.
This would come after lengthy discussion about the proposed ordinance at two prior council meetings and a public hearing preceding tonight’s voting meeting. The hearing is set for 5:45 p.m. at the County Courthouse on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Urban could not immediately be reached for comment this afternoon.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit the use of county staff or resources to transport mail ballot drop boxes to sites approved by the county’s independent election board. However, Urban has acknowledged the board has authority over deciding whether drop boxes are used. He has suggested board members could deliver the boxes themselves, or hire part-time workers to do so.
There may not be majority support to approve the ordinance, however.
Council vice chairman John Lombardo, who is viewed as the swing vote, said this afternoon he has decided to vote against the ordinance, even though he had supported introducing it. Lombardo said he is against drop boxes, but the ordinance won’t end their use.
“I don’t want to see the county sued and spending a lot of money on legal fees for an ordinance that will essentially not do anything,” Lombardo said.
He also won’t vote to remove the ordinance from the agenda, saying it is time for council to put the matter to rest.
“Based on conversations I’ve had with the election bureau over the last few hours, there are a lot of contracts and other things hinging on whether this vote is made or not,” Lombardo said.
Council owes it to the public to make a decision and start focusing more on other pressing issues, he said.
“If we kick this can down the road any farther after all of this back-and-forth and hearing from citizens, we will be doing a massive disservice to the public, the election bureau, and the voters,” he said.