Carbondale, Pennsylvania Public Records

The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law establishes which records can be released publicly, striking a balance between government transparency and the protection of sensitive information that could compromise ongoing investigations or individual privacy.

Pennsylvania voters can register online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx using a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card. Registration must arrive at least 15 days before any election to vote in it. To qualify, you must be a U.S. Citizen, live in Pennsylvania, and reach age 18 by election day. As a third-class city under state law, Carbondale elects a mayor and city council. Municipal elections happen in odd-numbered years - the last one took place in November 2023, and the next arrives in November 2027. Candidates file nomination petitions with the Lackawanna County elections office, and local ballot questions can appear when city council or citizen petitions place them there. Voters can locate their assigned polling place at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/pollingplacelookup.aspx by entering either their name and date of birth or their address. Pennsylvania makes several categories of election records available to the public. Voter registration files, including names, addresses, birth dates, and voting history showing which elections someone participated in, though not how they voted, are accessible through Right-to-Know requests. Campaign finance reports from candidates and political committees can be searched through the Pennsylvania Department of State's campaign finance website. Candidate petitions and nomination papers sit in the public record at the Lackawanna County elections office, and precinct-level results get published once certified. During the November 2024 presidential election, Lackawanna County saw roughly 54-56% turnout with approximately 126,000 ballots cast from about 230,000 registered voters. The county favored Democratic candidates, continuing its historical pattern. The November 3, 2026 election will bring several consequential races to the area. Pennsylvania will hold its gubernatorial election that year as Governor Josh Shapiro's term continues through 2026. No U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania appears on the 2026 ballot - those seats come up in 2024 and 2028. Voters will elect all 203 Pennsylvania state representatives to their two-year terms and half of the state senate, with 25 of 50 senators serving staggered four-year terms. Depending on the election cycle, county-level positions may be decided, including county commissioners, district attorney, sheriff, controller, and other row offices that typically carry four-year terms. Judicial races for Commonwealth Court, Court of Common Pleas, or the local Court of Common Pleas could also land on the ballot based on expiring terms. Thanks to Act 77 of 2019, Pennsylvania voters can request mail-in ballots without offering any excuse. Registered voters apply online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication, by mail, or in person at the Lackawanna County Elections Bureau at 200 Adams Avenue. Applications must arrive by 5:00 PM the Tuesday before election day. Completed ballots must reach the elections office by 8:00 PM on election day - postmarks don't count. Voters can return them by mail, in person at the elections office, or through designated drop boxes.