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Eugene Kelleher will be on the ballot this November in the Luzerne County Council race.
Luzerne County Court Judges Michael T. Vough and Joseph Sklarosky Jr. issued a ruling today sustaining Kelleher’s appeal seeking reversal of the county election board’s recent decision to keep him off the ballot.
“I’m very appreciative, thankful and humbled,” Kelleher said.
County election officials argued the halting of ballot placement was necessary because Kelleher, a Republican write-in nominee from Dallas Township, filed required paperwork late.
Kelleher ’s attorney, Michael O’Donnell, told the judges last week that the late filing is not a “fatal defect” warranting removal from the ballot and said a removal would go against the will of the 487 write-in voters who chose Kelleher as a nominee. Kelleher promptly filed his financial statement after receiving notice in July, allowing voters more than three months to vet the information in his report before they vote in November, O’Donnell said.
Attorney Neil T. O’Donnell, of O’Donnell Law Offices in Kingston, said today his firm was “thrilled” to represent Kelleher because Kelleher was recognized as a “very fair, methodical and thoughtful public official” during his first two years as a county councilman after the 2012 implementation of the county’s home rule government.
“We’re delighted with the result,” O’Donnell said.
Six of 11 council seats are up for grabs in November.
Republicans also nominated Marc Dixon, Ray Gustave, Mark Rabo, Robert Schnee and Stephen J. Urban. Democrats picked Edward Brominski, John Gadomski, Tim McGinley, Anthony J. Rostock, Stephen A. Urban and Jane Walsh Waitkus to advance to the general election.