Election commission approves planning for South Bethlehem and Northern Tier 'ballot on demand' locations

The Northampton County Election Commission voted to ask county administration to prepare plans for ballot-on-demand locations on South Side Bethlehem and in the county’s Northern Tier, after hours of discussion about turnout patterns, staffing, parking and fairness.

The motion approved by the commission directs county elections staff to present a specific plan and supporting data — including historical on-demand volumes, precinct origins of on-demand voters and proposed hours and staffing — at a special meeting or at the next regular meeting in August. Commissioners debated whether to authorize immediate implementation or to first receive a detailed plan; the commission ultimately approved the request that administration prepare and present plans for both a southern and a northern location and explain operational details.

What commissioners discussed and why it matters

Commissioners and staff repeatedly framed the proposal as an operational experiment intended to expand access and reduce long waits at…