Charlotte Raup for MAYOR

Crime Watch coordinator announces bid for Wilkes-Barre mayor

'Charlotte Raup, a member of the organization for 16 years, is a Democrat.
BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com

WILKES-BARRE – The city’s Crime Watch coordinator says it’s time for her to “put up or shut up.”

So Charlotte Raup is running for mayor.

“My phone has been ringing for weeks with people asking me to run,” Raup, 54, said. “So after careful consideration, I have decided to run. The time has come for the ‘Good Old Boy’ network to end and a new era to begin.”

Raup, a graduate of Meyers High School and Wilkes College with a degree in philosophy, said she will make a formal announcement on her candidacy in the near future.

Raup and her husband live on Gardner Avenue in the Parsons section of the city.

A Democrat, Raup said she has well over the required 100 signatures on her petitions and she will file them before Tuesday’s deadline.

On Thursday she was doing what she loves – conducting a Crime Watch meeting at East End Towers on Scott Street. She has been a member of the city’s Crime Watch for 16 years, the last 10 as coordinator. The organization currently has about 400 members, she said.

Raup has aired her differences with incumbent Democratic Mayor Tom Leighton publicly over the years.

She advocated for a crime prevention officer to attend Crime Watch meetings; Leighton did assign an officer for 2011.

“I guess you can say I’m dissatisfied with the way the city is being run,” Raup said. “But I don’t want to bash anybody. I just want to run and get my message out to the voters.”

Raup said she is putting together her team for the campaign and will unveil her platform as the campaign develops. She said she will hold fundraising events as well.

Raup ran for a seat on City Council in 2007, but lost out in the primary election to Mike Merritt.

In 2008, Raup was the recipient of the national Jefferson Award for Public Service, which is bestowed by the American Institute for Public Service. She was also named volunteer of the year by the Pennsylvania Crime Prevention Officers Association that same year.

Raup was recognized with the citizen crime prevention award by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency in 2006, the same year she received the Governor’s Award for volunteerism.'


Everyone I've talked to about Charlotte has had only the most glowing things to say, and in my opinion having a Mayor with integrity will be a HUGE improvement.

She has been a member of the Wilkes-Barre crime watch for 16 years. Walking, at night, some of the worst areas this poor city has. When was the last time dictator Leighton has done anything like that? Never unless you count his 4 or 5 desperate "look I'm doing something so vote for me" town meetings. She knows the city (She walks it) and knows where the problem areas are. She cares about the people, or she wouldn't have been a crime watch member for 16 years.
I think she will win by a landslide.
The only downside? What our vindictive dictator do to punish all those who did not vote for him. Council has proven they WILL NOT stand up to him. Expect them to say things like,"There's nothing we can do" a lot.
Remember, I was told, by a very good source, he will sell south fire station by the end of the year, it doesn't matter if he wins or looses. Once it is gone, the south side of the city will NEVER have one again.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote