Luzerne County election officials are finalizing preparations for the upcoming November general election, having officially received and unpacked a fleet of newly certified voting machines. The modernization effort, outlined in the county manager’s monthly division report, represents a major transition following the temporary deployment of older hardware earlier in the year.
The county's Election Bureau took delivery of the updated voting systems manufactured by Hart InterCivic. Under a lease agreement reached last year, the county secured brand-new scanners, tabulators, and dedicated ballot marking devices designed to streamline the in-person voting process on Nov. 3.
The deployment follows a temporary arrangement during the May 19 primary election, when local officials were forced to rely on an earlier iteration of Hart InterCivic equipment. At the time, the manufacturer’s latest hardware platform, known as the Vanguard model, was still awaiting formal certification from the Pennsylvania Department of State.
With state regulators having officially granted the necessary certification, county administrators were able to complete the transition. The loaned machinery previously used for the spring primary was prepared, boxed, and returned to the vendor, allowing the county to implement its intended setup ahead of the autumn vote.
To ensure poll workers and staff are thoroughly prepared for the transition, Hart InterCivic has agreed to conduct comprehensive training sessions on the new Vanguard hardware at no additional charge to local taxpayers.
Alongside the voting hardware upgrades, the county has expanded public transparency with the launch of an online campaign finance database. The newly operational portal allows residents, journalists, and watchdog groups to review filed campaign finance reports directly on the internet without needing to submit formal administrative requests.
County Manager Romilda Crocamo presented details regarding the transparency platform during a recent County Council work session, responding to inquiries from council members about the status of the rollout. Crocamo reported that the system is fully functional, current, and operating smoothly.
The digital system was implemented through a $23,000 contract awarded to EasyVote Solutions. Members of the public can now view and download candidate filings directly by navigating to the election section on the official county website at luzernecounty.org.
Administrative updates on county election procedures are expected to continue at an upcoming meeting of the Luzerne County Election Board. The five-member volunteer citizen board is scheduled to convene at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the county courthouse situated on River Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Residents wishing to participate remotely will be able to find sign-in directions in the authorities, boards, and commissions section of the county’s web portal prior to the start of the session.
In addition to election-related developments, the administration highlighted logistical adjustments within the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Planning, and Zoning Department. County Director Dan Reese drew smiles from council members when presenting the department's veteran large-format printer, which staff affectionately nicknamed "Harry Plotter."
Reese described the heavy-duty machinery as an industrial-sized inkjet printer designed for specialized spatial data and mapping. Having operated for approximately 12 years, the machine had technically reached obsolete status back in 2018. When maintenance issues arose, the county had to hire a specialized contractor based in the Lehigh Valley because no local repair services were willing to service the aging unit.
The planning department is now procuring a newer, more compact plotter to handle daily office operations. Rather than being retired entirely, "Harry Plotter" is scheduled for relocation to the Luzerne County Emergency Management Agency, where it will continue producing oversized maps for disaster coordination.
Underscoring the critical utility of the printer, Charles Krommes, the county’s operations and training officer for emergency management, explained that the machine was instrumental in quickly producing tactical maps used for evacuation management during a past wildfire incident. The machine's track record prompted County Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino to remark that "Harry Plotter saves the day again."
Meanwhile, county officials are advancing a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the development of data centers. A proposed amendment to the county zoning ordinance is currently undergoing formal legal evaluation by the county law office.
If enacted by the County Council, the new zoning requirements would apply across 19 local municipalities that rely entirely on county zoning oversight. These include 12 boroughs—Avoca, Courtdale, Dupont, Duryea, Hughestown, Jeddo, Laflin, New Columbus, Pringle, Warrior Run, West Wyoming, and Yatesville—along with seven townships: Conyngham, Fairmount, Hunlock, Huntington, Lake, Ross, and Union.
The pending zoning proposal was recommended to council by the county Planning Commission in May, following four distinct drafts and extensive public comment periods. Under the proposed rules, any data center development would face exhaustive operational conditions and would be required to obtain special exception approval from the county Zoning Hearing Board before moving forward.
Before the data center regulations can take effect, the County Council must hold an introductory vote on the proposal, conduct a dedicated public hearing, and secure final majority approval at a subsequent legislative meeting.
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