County executive urges fast repair of county parking garage, proposes South Side voting site pilot with Lehigh University

Northampton County Executive Mr. McClure told county council on Feb. 20 that the county should move promptly to repair a county-owned parking garage and that he has asked the Elections Commission to consider establishing an early on-demand voting site on the South Side of Bethlehem to reduce long lines experienced by students at Lehigh University.

McClure said plans to close the garage and build a replacement have been in development for weeks to months and that passage of a county bond last week makes moving quickly necessary. "Council was very wise to pass the bond last week and we should not delay in getting this project moving forward and getting this garage fixed," he said during his remarks.

On elections, McClure said he suggested to the Elections Commission that it consider a South Side site to relieve long lines at current polling and early-voting locations used by Lehigh students. He said the county is in preliminary contact with Lehigh University and that the Banana Factory polling site is no longer an option because the building will be torn down, creating an immediate need for an alternative site. McClure characterized the proposal as something the Elections Commission should consider implementing as early as this November as a pilot so the county has experience ahead of the next presidential election cycle.

Council members asked questions during the report. One asked whether low-cost safety measures, such as an installed netting system, had been considered to address falling concrete at the garage; McClure said public-works staff are reviewing various safety measures and he would follow up with a departmental official. Another member asked whether siting additional election access points could raise partisan concerns given student demographics; McClure said he would not oppose additional sites elsewhere and described his earlier suggestions for additional drop boxes in East Allen Township and Washington Township as part of expanded access.

McClure also noted that Lehigh University representatives appeared interested in cooperating to help find an interim polling location for students who otherwise face long waits. He urged the Elections Commission and county staff to work on a solution for the near term.

Council did not take formal action on the executive’s requests at the meeting; McClure asked that the Elections Commission consider the proposal and said staff would report back on safety options for the garage. Council members directed the administration to provide answers on the timeline for a better remote/Zoom participation system at a future meeting.