Election Day in Hazleton began quietly under a gray sky and a chill that clung to the air. Inside City Hall and at Lackawanna College, polling stations saw a steady but sparse trickle of voters, typical for local elections in Luzerne County, officials said, yet every person who showed up echoed a shared belief: Local elections matter, even when turnout says otherwise.
'It’s for my community of 20 years'
At City Hall, city council candidate David Domínguez, who moved to Hazleton as a child in 2005, greeted volunteers and voters alike, checking that “no one was too cold” and that “everything ran smoothly.”
“The turnout is slow, but that’s expected because it’s local elections,” Domínguez said. “People only do a ‘rah-rah’ when it’s presidential, which is very typical. But I believe me and my team have done everything in our power to make sure people are informed of this election.”
For Domínguez, running for office is about more than political ambition.
“It’s not about me, it’s about what my community wants to see,” he said. “Better roads, more recreation, and more transparency. People want a seat at the table because many are afraid to speak up. I want them to know what they say matters.”
The 29-year-old candidate emphasized that bilingual representation at the polls, something often lacking in past elections, had improved this year, with Spanish-speaking poll workers at most locations.
“We just have to keep that momentum up,” he said. “Not just for this election, but for the next one, the 116th district and the governor’s race. We have to stay informed.”
Rides to the polls: Families step up to help their neighbors vote
Across Hazleton’s Hispanic neighborhoods, a quiet yet powerful movement took shape throughout Election Day: families volunteering to drive voters to polling places. The initiative, organized informally by community members, ensured that residents without transportation, particularly seniors and new voters, could still make their voices heard.
Bernardo Guzmán, one of the coordinators, said the effort was his way of contributing to democracy.
“Even though I don’t speak much English, I want to help in any way I can,” he said, smiling as he directed drivers in and out of a City Hall parking spot. “This is something we can all do, make sure everyone gets the chance to vote.”
Another volunteer, Santiago Domínguez, echoed that sentiment.
“I’m just proud to have the opportunity to volunteer on a day as important as this,” he said. “It’s not just about one person winning, it’s about all of us being part of something bigger for our community.”
Dozens of rides were provided throughout the day, many coordinated through WhatsApp groups and neighborhood churches, a simple but deeply meaningful gesture of civic participation that many said they hoped would become a new tradition in Hazleton.
Election officials: 'People don’t realize how important these local elections are’
Outside City Hall, Judge of Elections Jim Ferry, a lifelong Hazleton resident, has overseen elections for more than six years. He described the day as calm, “fair,” as he put it, but low-energy compared to presidential years.
“The only time you get a really large turnout is a presidential election,” Ferry said. “People don’t realize how important these local elections are. Because that’s your police, your fire, your taxes, the things that affect you every day.”
He estimates that fewer than 10% of registered voters in his ward will cast ballots today, a statistic consistent with Luzerne County’s broader pattern of low off-year participation.
“These local offices impact your streets, your schools, your property taxes more than anything in Washington,” Ferry said. “But people don’t take them seriously. You get what you get, sometimes good, sometimes not.”
Another poll worker, Dee Deakos, at Lackawanna College, also a Judge of Elections, echoed that sentiment. A longtime participant in local politics, she said she volunteers “because someone has to work the polls” and because “they have a hard time finding workers.”
“It’s important,” Deakos said, “and it would really be nice if we had more bilingual ones.”
When asked to describe the day’s “vibe,” she smiled and said simply:
“Cold. That’s the word, cold.”
Still, she noted the diversity among this year’s candidates:
“We have a very good Hispanic candidate right now, and the other three running have been on council before. It’s up to the voters if they want to keep the old or put somebody new in.”
On the ground: cautious optimism and lingering tension
Outside City Hall, Chanel Sepúlveda, a young Hazleton resident observing the polls, said she hadn’t seen much foot traffic in the hour she’d been there, though she’d “heard there was more on the other side.”
“I think David [Domínguez] has a high chance of winning,” she said. “But I also heard they’re pushing him, like there’s some pressure against him.”
She gestured toward other volunteers nearby, suggesting we speak with them about “some tension” she’d heard described between campaign supporters — a reminder of the political friction that occasionally surfaces during Hazleton elections, where shifting demographics continue to reshape the local balance of power.
A city in transition
Across Luzerne County, Tuesday’s election encompassed a patchwork of mayoral, city council, school board, and judicial races. Yet Hazleton, a city now majority-Hispanic but long led by non-Hispanic incumbents, has drawn increasing attention for what its ballot represents: a test of inclusion and civic engagement.
Domínguez, who has lived in Hazleton for more than two decades, summed up the sentiment:
“The city that it was 20 years ago is not the same city it is today,” he said. “We’ve changed, and now our government should reflect that change.”
Low turnout, high importance
By mid-afternoon, most election officials agreed turnout was “better than expected, but still low.” At one City Hall polling site, about 100 ballots had been cast out of roughly 800 registered voters.
“That’s not even 15%,” said Ferry. “But those few votes will decide the direction of the city.”
As the polls closed Tuesday evening, the final numbers would show more than just winners and losers; they would reflect whether Hazleton’s rapidly evolving community is beginning to see itself represented in its own government.
For many who braved the cold to cast a ballot, the hope was clear: that their voices, however few, would begin to reshape the city’s story.
