LUZERNE COUNTY, PA – In a major shift for Luzerne County politics, Democrats successfully flipped four seats on the County Council in Tuesday’s election, securing a 7-4 majority when the new members take office in January.
The victory marks the first time Democrats will hold the majority on the 11-member council since 2019, successfully overturning the current 7-4 Republican majority. All five council seats on the ballot were previously held by Republicans.
Four Democratic candidates unofficially won four-year at-large terms, displacing Republican incumbents and newcomers alike:
The Race and the Results
Democrats needed to win just two of the five open seats to seize the majority, but they secured four, indicating a significant surge in Democratic support countywide.
Republican incumbent John Lombardo was the only member of his party to retain a seat, coming in second overall in the vote tally. Republican incumbents Brian Thornton and Greg Wolovich, who were seeking second terms, appear to have been unseated.
The New Council Members
The victorious Democrats bring varied experience to the Council:
Denise Williams (63, Kingston Twp.) received the most votes overall, capitalizing on her previous role chairing the County Election Board.
Steven Coslett (56, Forty Fort) retired as a corrections officer from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Chris Belles (39, West Pittston) works as a data analyst.
Dawn Simmons (55, Wilkes-Barre) is a U.S. Air Force veteran and real estate agent.