Action Together NEPA and a group of Luzerne County residents filed a request to review the petition seeking to repeal the county's anti-discrimination ordinance.
Jessica Brittain, communications director for Action Together NEPA, said in a release the organization filed the challenge on Friday, which was the deadline to challenge the more than 15,000 signatures verified on Aug. 25.
"There were seven Luzerne County residents who also were included in the request," she said.
The request asks for the Luzerne County Board of Elections to review 8,917 of the 15,405 signatures on the petition filed by former Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith and his petitioner committee.
Assistant County Solicitor Gene Molino said on Tuesday the board will "likely schedule a hearing in the near future."
The request for review alleges the "deficiencies" include petitions lacking the date of the circulator's statement, improper wording on the petitions themselves and deficiencies in the signatures submitted.
The request also alleges that "signature collectors intentionally misled voters who signed the petition."
The countywide non-discrimination ordinance extends protections from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations to classes not included under statewide and federal law — including protections from discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran status, and physical or mental disability.
Luzerne County Council passed the ordinance in June with a vote of 7-4.
Griffith has led the charge to petition county council to repeal the ordinance or put it up for a countywide referendum, a process allowed under the county's home rule charter.
Under the charter, the petitioners needed to obtain 11,615 signatures — a total that was equal to or greater than 10% of county votes cast in the most recent general election for governor.
The charter also allows residents to challenge the petition or request it be reviewed.
Griffith says 'shame on these outside parties'
Griffith called Action Together NEPA's request an attempt to "control and destroy Luzerne County's home rule government."
"There were 15,404 people that supported and signed the petition to place this question on the ballot because they were given this opportunity by the very Home Rule Charter they adopted in 2012 as their government," he said. "Shame on these outside parties and political groups for trying to remove that right given to the people of Luzerne County."
Gilbert: 'petition process must be followed correctly'
Beth Gilbert, Voting & Elections Manager for Action Together NEPA, was one of the county residents requesting the review.
In a release, Gilbert said the group is exercising other rights granted to county residents by the charter.
“Luzerne County Council passed this ordinance to provide important protections against discrimination for people throughout our community,” she said. “An effort to repeal those protections is significant, and the petition process must be followed correctly."
