Denise Williams for Luzerne County Council

24/10/2025

I read an excellent letter to the editor - see below. (I do recall when Councilman Brian Thornton made this statement during our candidate forum. I immediately thought - what? 50%?? No way. He cited no facts to back up that allegation. I feel very strongly that candidates and elected officials should always stick to the facts of any given governmental matter with the public.)

Letter to Editor in CV:

Most Pennsylvanians support drop boxes

Editor: At the Wilkes-Barre League of Women Voters County Council Candidate Forum, Councilman Brian Thornton claimed that “over 50% of people in Luzerne County disapprove of drop boxes.” That is a bold statement — but where are the numbers? There are apparently no county-level polls on this issue and Mr. Thornton cited none.

What we do know comes from statewide polls. Surveys by Franklin & Marshall and Muhlenberg College both show that about 60% of Pennsylvanians support the use of secure ballot drop boxes. Support is strong among Democrats (close to 90%), moderate among Independents and lower among Republicans (around 30%). Luzerne County leans Republican, so the overall number here might be a little below the state average — but certainly not the sweeping “over half disapprove” picture Mr. Thornton paints.

The truth is that Luzerne is a politically divided county. It backed Donald Trump by 14 points in 2020, yet still has many Democrats and a long history of split-ticket voting. To say most residents oppose drop boxes based only on conversations with Republicans is misleading at best.

If we want an honest debate on how we vote, let’s start with facts, not assumptions. Until real polling is done in Luzerne County, no one — Mr. Thornton included — should pretend to know exactly what “most people” think.



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Most Pennsylvanians support drop boxes Editor: At the Wilkes-Barre League of Women Voters County Council Candidate Forum, Councilman Brian Thornton claimed that “over 50% of people in Luzerne Count…

24/10/2025

This! Kathleen Hannon

24/10/2025

The Young Dems hosted a Halloween County Council Candidate Forum tonight and a great time was had by all.

It wasn’t all fun and games though - they asked us all some good and tough questions! That’s the way it’s supposed to be!

As you can see I was banished to “the vault” at one point!

Thank you to all who helped make this event happen! (the snacks, pizza, and awesome decorations!)



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20/10/2025

Over the past two weeks I have continued door-knocking for our slate.

I have now knocked on over 1,000 doors and have had so many great conversations with Luzerne County residents.

The past two weeks have brought me to Ross Township (beautiful Fall photo of Huntington Creek below), Lake Township, Fairview Township and today I was in Laflin.

I have enjoyed getting to know the residents, their concerns, and the different locales of the county- and- I feel strongly that it is important for a candidate to do this - to really get out there and meet the people and hear their concerns.



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16/10/2025

Additional photo from our Red Mill Inn “Meet and Greet” in Pittston tonight- Myself and fellow-candidate for Luzerne County Council (and all around nice guy and genuine real deal) Steve Coslett.

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13/10/2025

Word on the Street: Why Denise?
We’re hitting the streets to hear from YOU—real people, real voices, real reasons why Denise Williams is the right choice for Luzerne County Council.

13/10/2025

What a wonderful evening I had participating (with my daughter & grand-daughter) in the Parenting Autism United drive-thru Trunk-or-Treat held this year in the Dallas High School parking lot. Check out our trunk! Spooky! 👻

Spider-man, Dorothy & a "Very Nice" Witch enjoyed handing out treats to over 300 trick-or-treaters.

Please visit the website: parentingautismunited.org for information on this excellent non-profit! I have posted the front page of their program in the photos below.



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11/10/2025

What a great turnout at the “Mark Bufalino for Judge” event!

Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo and Attorney Neil O’Donnell both introduced him.

Mark’s campaign slogan is “tough but fair”. I like that.

Mark also has so much experience in both civil and criminal cases - that is definitely very important for a new judge.

Vote Mark Bufalino for Judge.

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09/10/2025

07/10/2025

I’ve spent my career serving others—as a nurse, as Coordinator of Religious Education at St. Therese’s Church, Shavertown for more than 20 years, and through civic leadership with Fair Districts PA and as Chair of the Luzerne County Board of Elections.

I’m running for County Council because I believe government must be transparent, accountable, and focused on the people—not political insiders. I’m not interested in partisan games or division. What I am interested in is bringing people together to solve problems, support our county employees, and make decisions that serve every resident of Luzerne County.

As a County Council member, I will focus on:

• Responsible stewardship of taxpayer
dollars
• Eliminating waste and inefficiency
• Open and transparent governance
• Delivering high-quality county services
• Long-term, responsible planning
• Accountability to all residents—
especially seniors and those on fixed
incomes
• Enhancing overall quality of life to
make Luzerne County a great place to
live, work, and raise a family.

I am asking for your vote on November 4th.

When elected, I will work tirelessly for all residents of our county, making sure that their best interests are always at the forefront. I am committed to doing the homework on every issue that comes before Council and to asking the questions that need to be asked.

I will be a strong advocate for transparency and accountability in county government. Just as importantly, I will work with the other members of Council, both Republicans and Democrats, to best serve the residents, strengthen our county as a whole, and support the employees who keep it running every day.

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06/10/2025

I completely agree with Rick Morelli on voting "no" on the newly proposed Home Rule Charter - for this reason (change from 11 to 9). I also do not agree with the newly proposed charter for its granting of a clean slate of terms served by the DA and Controller AND its granting the County Council (majority plus one) the authority to change the structure/make up of the "independent" Board of Elections. This could mean their voting to add elected officials to the Board of Elections - not good.

Vote "no" on the newly proposed charter - and vote"yes" on retaining all of the statewide justices.

Rick's letter to the editor below:

Revised charter could reverse county’s progress

Editor: As someone who has served Luzerne County on the original Study Commission, two terms on County Council, the manager search committee, and now the Election Board, I feel a deep responsibility to speak out on the proposed changes to our Home Rule Charter.
After reviewing the draft, I urge voters to vote ‘no.’
In 2010, Luzerne County faced historic scandals. The Home Rule Charter was created to eliminate corruption, reduce concentrated power, and introduce transparency. Under Chair Jim Haggerty’s leadership, we built a structure focused on citizen protection and long-term reform. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.
The new proposal risks undoing that progress. It consolidates more power in County Council, weakens the professional county manager’s role and adds boards that could lead to fragmented governance and political infighting. Reducing Council from 11 to 9 members may sound efficient, but it concentrates influence and reduces representation.
Without district-based elections, the odds of electing diverse voices from across the county drop significantly. That means fewer perspectives, fewer checks on power and more decisions made without broad input.
We’ve fought hard for fair representation and responsible government. These changes threaten to take us backward — toward the dysfunction we worked so hard to overcome. Let’s protect the integrity of our government and preserve the progress we’ve made.

Vote ‘no’ on the proposed Home Rule Charter.

Rick Morelli, Sugarloaf

Revised charter could reverse county’s progress Editor: As someone who has served Luzerne County on the original Study Commission, two terms on County Council, the manager search committee, a…