Dallas City News

Luzerne County has reviewed election bureau procedures and found “no evidence or indications of fraud in voter registrations,” county Manager Romilda Crocamo said in a statement Monday.

County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce subsequently released his own update on the matter Monday, verifying no findings of fraud.

The subject came up because a criminal investigation is underway in Lancaster County after election workers flagged approximately 2,500 voter registration forms for potential fraud.

No concerns were detected here, Crocamo’s statement said.

“All registrations were strictly scrutinized,” it said.

Crocamo had publicly noted during the Oct. 23 county election board meeting that a former employee brought “numerous” registrations to the bureau on Oct. 21, which was the last day to register. Friday’s announcement of the Lancaster County discovery prompted some on social media to call for an investigation of the registrations and individual referenced by Crocamo, including figures with large followings on the platform X.

Sanguedolce’s Monday announcement said he was releasing the results of his office’s investigation into documents submitted by the former employee on Oct. 21.

The DA’s office received numerous complaints ranging from allegations of thousands of voter registrations submitted to allegations that actual ballots were submitted to the county’s election bureau, he said.

Upon investigating the complaints, the office learned between 20 and 30 voter registrations were dropped off at the bureau by a former employee on Oct. 21, with some registrations dating back to June, he said.

Three registrations intended for neighboring county election bureaus were mixed into the group — two for Lackawanna County and one for Monroe County. Those registrations were forwarded to the correct counties with a notice that they were submitted in time for the registrants to vote in this general election, the DA said.

All Luzerne County registrations were processed by the election bureau, and none were fraudulent.

The Lancaster County DA had indicated two other counties may have been targeted and that she had reached out to notify those officials. Luzerne County was not contacted, and Sanguedolce said his office did not find any link between these submissions and the Lancaster County case.

“We intend to investigate all incidents alleging any type of fraud in our election process or any threats against our election workers,” Sanguedolce said. “Secure and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, and we will pursue anyone endeavoring to unlawfully interfere with the process or the people responsible for carrying out that process.”

Anyone with information related to fraud or criminal activity in county elections is asked contact the DA’s Office at 570-825-1674.

Another response

Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, executive director of Action Together NEPA and the nonprofit In This Together NEPA, responded in defense of the former county employee who brought in the registrations investigated by the DA.

“Recently, baseless and defamatory allegations were made against a member of our team who had dropped off voter registration forms from residents of northeastern Pennsylvania. This is just another page from the same, tired playbook that election deniers have used for years to sow distrust in our elections,” the statement said.

The county DA has “debunked the allegations,” it said.

“The sustained efforts to stoke conflict and irresponsibly question the integrity of our election system, particularly by someone with a history of doing so, are deeply troubling. They put the safety of election workers, organizers, and their families in personal danger and undermine public confidence in the integrity of our democracy,” the statement said.

Hoffman-Mirilovich said helping citizens participate in voting is “one of the greatest forms of service to our democracy,” adding she “could not be more proud of the work our organizations do to engage and empower voters.”

“We thank our election workers who work tirelessly to ensure that every valid vote is counted. In Pennsylvania, voters decide our elections, and we will continue our work to build and celebrate the community of voters throughout the region,” the statement said.

In her Monday release, Crocamo commended “the dedicated efforts of Lancaster County in combating voter application fraud” and said this county stands “firmly behind” Pennsylvania Department of State initiatives.

”Together, we can ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate in our democracy without the threat of fraud,” Crocamo wrote.

Lancaster County officials had said the registration applications under investigation had been dropped off in two batches at or near the Oct. 21 registration deadline. Some had false names, suspicious handwriting, questionable signatures, incorrect addresses or other issues, according to published reports.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.