Luzerne County Election Director Eryn Harvey discusses an initiative to track campaign finance reports during a news conference Wednesday, with participants including Deputy Election Director Beth Gilbert, at left, and county Controller Walter Griffith.
Jennifer Learn-Andes | Times Leader
Luzerne County’s election bureau and controller’s office have teamed up to identify and fine candidates and committees that did not file required campaign finance reports, officials announced during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The election bureau will be sending campaign finance fine violation notices this week to candidates that did not file one or both reports required around the time of the May 16 primary election.
This refers to a “second Friday pre-primary report” due May 5 and a “30 day post-primary” campaign finance report due June 15.
Candidates/committees will receive a violation notice in the mail if they did not file one or both of these reports. Those failing to file both reports would receive two separate violation letters.
County Controller Walter Griffith initiated an audit of campaign finance reports at the request of county Manager Romilda Crocamo and the county’s five-citizen volunteer election board, a release said.
This audit focuses on whether the bureau was maintaining accurate campaign finance reports as required by state law. Griffith will release the full audit when it is completed.
Those receiving violation letters should bring a certified check or money order to the county election bureau on the second floor of the county’s Penn Place Building, 20 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding holidays. Checks/money orders must be payable to the Luzerne County Treasurer’s Office.
As it stands, 56 candidates were required to file the reports, said Election Deputy Director Beth Gilbert. Of those, 14 did not file the post-primary report, while approximately 30 did not file either required report, she said.
Of the 76 committees required to file reports, 25 did not file both required reports, Gilbert said. There were 24 that only failed to file the post-election report, she said.
Gilbert stressed these numbers might change because some late reports have been filed.
The fine is $20 the first six days a report is not filed and $10 for each day beyond that, for a maximum fine of $250, officials said. Weekends and holidays are not included in the calculating of fines.
As far as the campaign finance reports themselves, Griffith recently announced his office has worked with election bureau and information technology department representatives to upload 2023 campaign finance reports on the county website.
The campaign finance information is available on the election page at luzernecounty.org.
Official comments
County Election Director Eryn Harvey said campaign finance reporting requirements haven’t been comprehensively enforced over the last few years, and the controller’s office assistance was essential to help the bureau get the process “back on track.”
Griffith said the county election board has been pressing for better tracking of campaign finance reporting for years. Up-to-date information is necessary because the election board must certify that candidates are in compliance with campaign finance laws, the controller said.
“Campaign finance is very important to the candidates as well as the public to see who is funding campaigns and for the transparency and election integrity,” Griffith said.
The online information covers the second-Friday report before the primary, and the post-primary reports are in the process of being added, Griffith said. Eventually the online reports will include annual campaign finance reports that were due at the start of 2023.
Griffith thanked Crocamo, who started work as county manager on May 25, for “recognizing there was a problem.”
“It’s a new day. It’s a new dawn. When we recognize problems, we try to fix them as best as we can,” he said. “The public expects that from us.”
Harvey said Gilbert has been the “point person” working with the controller’s office.
“Without the controller’s office, this definitely wouldn’t have been possible just because of how busy we are,” Gilbert said.
Griffith stressed most are not filing reports because they are unaware of the requirements, even though that information is furnished to them. Some wrongly believe they are exempt from filing anything because they did not spend money, but state law requires them to file regardless unless they file for a waiver, he said.
“Some of these candidates are novices. They’ve never run for office before. Campaign finance is not just something you jump into and you know,” Griffith said.
County Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora said, “This was a really big lift, and they did a great job working together.”
The bureau won’t fall behind moving forward now that the tracking system has been created, Pecora said.
Crocamo credited the election bureau and controller’s staff and said the processing of information so much data in a short time period was only possible because they collaborated. The result brings the county “one step closer” to affirming its commitment to election integrity and transparency, she said.
“This exemplifies the spirit of cooperation. When we work together as a team, it works. That’s exactly what we did,” Crocamo said.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
