In a ruling issued Thursday, the state Supreme Court ensured Lackawanna County voters will have five questions to vote on Tuesday.
The court decided against hearing the county commissioners' appeal of a Commonwealth Court ruling that left intact a county Board of Elections decision to split into four questions the commissioners' single question on eliminating election of four row offices.
The commissioners wanted voters to answer one question to simultaneously decide whether to eliminate election of the sheriff, register of wills, recorder of deeds and clerk of judicial records. A panel of three county judges, sitting as the Board of Elections, had said there should be separate questions for each office and the Commonwealth Court agreed.
The other question on the ballot will let voters decide whether to empanel a commission to study the form of county government. Insurance executive Chuck Volpe got this question on the ballot by obtaining enough signatures on petitions.
The Supreme Court did agree to hear an appeal by Scranton voter Joseph Pilchesky related to the commissioners' original question. The court agreed to decide if the Commonwealth Court abused its discretion by ruling the commissioners could place the four row offices into a single ballot question.
Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@ timesshamrock.com