Gilbert
Luzerne County Deputy Election Director Beth Gilbert said she recently changed her party registration to Republican.
She had switched her registration from Democrat to non-affiliated in mid-September when she was serving as acting election director, saying at that time she made the decision because she was apolitical as the temporary overseer and wanted her registration to reflect that, particularly in the current political climate.
Gilbert, a Wilkes-Barre City Councilwoman, said Thursday she made the change to Republican because she wants to vote for certain candidates on the Republican ballot in the upcoming May 16 primary election. Pennsylvania has closed primaries.
“It is my right as a voter in Luzerne County to change my party at any time so that I can vote for candidates as I see fit to do. I have always made conscientious decisions on the candidates that I vote for, and that is no different for this upcoming election,” Gilbert said.
County Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora, who oversees the election bureau and several other departments, had switched her registration from Democrat to Republican in March.
“It is my Constitutional right to register however I so choose. While I know this information is public, I do not owe anyone an explanation for my personal choice,” Pecora said.
County Election Director Eryn Harvey is a registered Republican.
The remaining employee on the bureau leadership team — Operations Manager Emily Cook — is registered as non-affiliated.
“I’ve always been pretty middle of the road with everything. My political views don’t align with either party inherently,” Cook said.
