The Lackawanna County Board of Elections voted Wednesday to schedule a special election to replace former county Clerk of Judicial Records Mauri Kelly.
The move parallels the board’s vote Friday to schedule a special election to replace former Commissioner Matt McGloin, a decision the county Democratic Party challenged in court Monday.
Kelly announced in May she would retire Sept. 2, which was Tuesday. Special election voters would choose someone to fill her job until January 2026.
Democrats recommend possible replacements
The county Democratic Party executive committee met Thursday, interviewed 11 applicants for Kelly’s job and chose three to recommend to the county common pleas court judges, party chairman Chris Patrick said.
Patrick said they are Lauren Bieber Mailen, Taylor Mayor, Lori Kavulich and Colleen Eagen Gerrity, a top aide to former U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright.
The judges are scheduled to interview the three Democratic Party-recommended McGloin replacements Thursday afternoon.
County Democratic Party chairman Chris Patrick said he's unsure if the party will challenge the board's latest call for a special election.
"We are waiting to see how the hearing goes on Wednesday," Patrick said in a text.
The county court has scheduled a hearing for next Wednesday on the party's challenge to the commissioner special election.
How it all started
In February, the party recommended former county planning and economic development director Brenda Sacco, Olyphant Council President James Baldan or Scranton School Director Bob Casey to replace McGloin.
In both cases, the party acted under provisions of the county home rule charter, which allows the party of a former elected official to nominate three potential replacements. McGloin and Kelly are Democrats.
Gaughan, county court challenge
The county and County Commissioner Bill Gaughan challenged the commissioner recommendations in court. They argue state law and a state Supreme Court administrative rule require the county judges to solicit new applications and choose the replacement without the party having a say.
A panel of county common pleas court judges voted 2-1 to uphold the party’s commissioner recommendations in May. Gaughan and the county appealed to state Commonwealth Court. The appeals court backed the party’s use of the home rule charter process in July.
Gaughan and the county appealed to the Supreme Court, but the court hasn’t decided whether to listen to an appeal.
