Fusaro resigning from Daniels’ campaign

After questioning by a citizen Wednesday, incoming Luzerne County Election Board member Alyssa Fusaro announced she has resigned as Regional Director of Eastern Pennsylvania for Teddy Daniels’ lieutenant governor campaign.

The issue came up during the election board public comment period, when Salem Township resident Claudia Glennan thanked Fusaro for volunteering to serve on the board but said Fusaro should surrender her position on the campaign to avoid a conflict of interest.

The five-citizen, volunteer board oversees elections, makes determinations on flagged ballots and write-in votes and certifies election results. A council majority appointed Fusaro Tuesday night, and she attended the election board meeting as a resident because she has not yet been sworn in.

Glennan said Denise Williams had resigned last year from her volunteer position with the nonpartisan Fair Districts PA before becoming election board chairwoman in response to concerns raised by then-county councilman Walter Griffith, who is now county controller. A Pennsylvania League of Women Voters project, Fair Districts is a statewide organization aimed at creating a transparent, impartial and fair redistricting process. Glennan said Williams made the decision due to “community, transparency and equitable application of voting rights for all.”

In response, Fusaro read a letter she sent to Daniels Wednesday immediately resigning from the campaign position.

Fusaro’s letter said serving in both roles would create an ethical conflict, and she feels a “sense of urgency” and moral obligation with regard to the upcoming election and county residents.

Glennan, who attended the meeting remotely, followed up with an online post thanking Fusaro for “taking this ethical action.”

Six county council members had supported Fusaro’s nomination to the vacant Republican board seat, while five had voted to reappoint Richard Nardone.

Fusaro also appeared at the podium two more times during Wednesday’s election board meeting to make her own public comments.

The first time, she questioned the board’s recent decision to continue providing Spanish ballots — a practice the county election bureau started in the April 2012 election. Fusaro said singling out Spanish could be viewed as unfair to residents speaking other non-English languages.

Williams said the decision to continue the practice had been based on an increase in Spanish-speaking county residents, particularly in the Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre areas. Williams said she is only aware of one county required to provide assistance in a language other than Spanish, which is Philadelphia due to the number of Chinese residents there.

Fusaro thanked Williams for her response. In her second public comment later in the meeting, Fusaro told board members she is “excited to serve” with them.

Williams congratulated and welcomed new Democratic board member Danny Schramm to his first meeting Wednesday. Patrick Castellani and Audrey Serniak also serve on the board.

County Election Director Michael Susek told the board Wednesday his office is on track preparing for an April 5 special election for state representative in the 116th Legislative District and the upcoming 2022 primary election.

“We’re going to deliver two successful elections back to back,” Susek said.