Luzerne County’s Democratic Party received letters of interest from two lawyers interested in running for county district attorney in the Nov. 2 general election, party Chairwoman Kathy Bozinski said Wednesday.
Applications were due 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Bozinski described both applicants as “well qualified.” She declined to identify them but said an announcement will be made after the party’s approximately 40-member executive committee chooses a nominee.
The party’s leadership team will interview both applicants, possibly as soon as next week, and make a nomination recommendation to the executive committee, she said.
A county Election Board majority had decided the race must be on the upcoming ballot under new state legislation governing DA vacancies, with the county Democratic and Republican party organizations each choosing a contender.
However, it’s still unclear when the race will be on the ballot because all six Republican county council members voted to seek a court ruling on whether the DA seat must wait until the next municipal election in 2023, so nominees could be selected in a primary.
Council voted Tuesday to retain Peter J. Adonizio Jr. and Thomas I. Vanaskie from Stevens & Lee in Scranton to handle that court challenge.
Bozinski said her party can’t wait to choose a nominee because the selected contender must have ample time to launch a campaign if the race is on the ballot in a little over four months.
The vacancy arose because Stefanie Salavantis resigned March 25 to run for county judge. Sam Sanguedolce, previously first assistant DA, was automatically appointed to fill the DA post under the new state legislation and would be the likely Republican nominee Nov. 2.