Luzerne County Election Director Emily Cook has removed primary election proofing ballots from the county’s website, citing "unacceptable instances of abusive behavior" directed at her staff. The ballots were originally posted as part of a public transparency effort, allowing voters to review names and offices for any spelling errors or typos before the final printing for the May 19 primary.
The tension reportedly escalated when the office identified and began correcting confusing wording regarding how to "shade bubbles" on the ballots. According to Cook, some residents used the discovery of these draft-stage errors to harass and insult election workers, accusing the bureau of incompetence. In response, Cook announced that the county will no longer offer public "proofing" snapshots in the future, choosing instead to conduct these reviews internally and with local political leadership to maintain a respectful environment for her team.
The move comes as Luzerne County transitions to a new voting process. Under the updated system, voters will manually fill out paper ballots and feed them into scanners for tallying, a change from the previous touchscreen ballot-marking devices. Cook assured voters that the bureau is working closely with the Election Board to ensure all printed ballots are accurate and that a sufficient supply will be available for both mail-in and in-person voting.
