Resident urges council to assert authority over proposed branch election offices

A resident who said he previously served on the county council urged Northampton County Council to assert its statutory authority over the establishment and funding of branch election offices.

Glenn Geisinger, who identified himself as a former council member, told the council that state election code places responsibility for providing offices and funding with the county appropriating authority. He cited Section 25 P.S. 2645(b) of the Pennsylvania Election Code (quoted in his remarks) and argued that the executive branch may not unilaterally create and fund branch election offices without council approval.

Geisinger said the administration’s effort to create branch offices offers an example of what he described as “disrespect to the authority of this body” and urged council to withhold approval for any branch office until the council studies and deems one necessary. “I ask you as the governing body of this county to end the abuse of power of this executive,” Geisinger said.

County Executive Lamonti McClure and other officials later discussed election office staffing briefly during the meeting; the administration said staffing for potential branch offices had been budgeted in the elections division and that no new funding was required for basic equipment, but council members said they wanted formal notice and documentation before any new offices were created.

Why this matters: establishing branch election offices could affect where and how voters access in-person services and how county funds are allocated. Geisinger urged council to exercise its statutory budgeting authority before the executive implements changes.

No formal council action on branch election offices occurred at the meeting.