Delaware County Board of Elections elects Ashley Luckenheimer as chair, votes to cut seven drop boxes and initiate precinct consolidations

The Delaware County Board of Elections elected Ashley Luckenheimer as its chair and authorized two major administration changes — shrinking the county's network of ballot drop boxes from 37 to 30 and asking the court to consider consolidation of multiple micro-precincts — at a meeting on Jan. 14, 2025.

The actions came after Director of Elections Jim Allen told the board that the county maintains 37 drop boxes for roughly 410,000 registered voters and that operating and securing the boxes adds staff time, camera maintenance and vehicle pickup requirements. "We have 37 drop boxes currently for 410,000 voters," Allen said in his presentation. He recommended removing seven low‑usage locations and notifying the affected municipalities before making any physical changes.

Allen and the board also presented a plan to reduce the total number of precincts to better match population and equipment‑capacity standards. "We want to maintain voter convenience and service. We want to keep voters in the same voting location wherever we can," Allen said, describing a goal of moving many precincts into a "sweet spot" between roughly 900 and 2,000 voters to reduce costs, equipment burdens and poll‑worker recruitment pressure.

Board members voted on the director's recommendations by voice. The actions the board approved at the meeting included:

Votes at a glance

- Chair nomination: Motion to nominate Ashley Luckenheimer as chair of the Delaware County Board of Elections — approved (voice vote). The meeting recorded the motion to nominate and a subsequent voice vote in favor; no recorded roll‑call tally was provided in the minutes.

- Drop‑box reduction: Motion to authorize Director Jim Allen to notify affected municipalities and proceed with reducing seven drop boxes (Clifton Heights, Ridley Park, East Lansdowne, Rutledge, Marcus Hook, Millbourne and Colwyn) to bring the county total to 30 — approved (voice vote). Allen told the board some locations had very low usage (Marcus Hook registered about 32 envelopes at the last election) and that removing boxes would free cameras and backup equipment for other sites.

- Precinct consolidation: Motion to authorize initiation of a petition to the Court of Common Pleas to consolidate a set of precincts identified in the staff recommendation (listed on the meeting agenda as items 1–51) and to proceed with required public notices and hearings — approved (voice vote). Solicitor Manley Parks and staff described the court process as a two‑step path in which the court first accepts the petition to proceed and the board then holds a public hearing; final court approval is required for any consolidation to take effect.

- Campaign finance waivers: Motion to waive late filing fees for three campaign committees (two filings for one treasurer and one for a new treasurer) as recommended by the campaign finance supervisor — approved (voice vote).

Why it matters

Board members and staff framed the measures as operational steps to reduce recurring costs and improve reliability. Allen told the board that each precinct requires a unique set of ballots, a scanner, tested equipment and a separate roster and that reducing the number of precincts would lower programming, trucking and staffing burdens. Several public commenters and some board members expressed concerns about access, notifying voters and the potential political implications of changing precinct lines; board members said the court petition and a statutory notice process will include public hearings.

What happens next

For the drop boxes, staff will send notice to the affected municipal councils and work with them on schedules for removal or relocation. For precinct consolidations, the board authorized the solicitor and election staff to initiate a court petition; the solicitor described statutory notice procedures and multiple hearings before the county board and the Court of Common Pleas. The consolidations will not go into effect without the court’s final approval. The board also set the next meeting date at the call of the chair and said it will follow required notice procedures for further action.

Selected quotes

"We have 37 drop boxes currently for 410,000 voters," Jim Allen, Director of Elections, said while explaining operational costs and low‑use sites.

"It's really, I have said this before, but it's, one of my greatest public services," Ashley Luckenheimer said after being elected chair; she thanked board members for the nomination.

Ending

Board members emphasized that the precinct‑consolidation vote authorized only the start of a statutory process that includes court review and public notice. Solicitor Manley Parks said the court will have a final opportunity to review any consolidation after the board holds a public hearing. Allen told the board staff will return with details and will attend municipal meetings where requested to explain proposed drop‑box changes.