Election commissioners say administration failed to notify them of ballot problems; county staff point to remedies, schedule special briefing

Scott Huff, vice chairman of the Northampton County Election Commission, told the council on Nov. 6 that the commission learned this fall of several election‑cycle errors from members of the public rather than from county administration.

Huff said an Easton City Council District 2 race was affected when an elections‑office staff error sent as many as 48 improper mail‑in ballots to voters and that the commission was not notified by the administration; he said the commission learned about the problem from the public. Huff said he and other commissioners requested a special meeting for Monday, Nov. 3, to review the issue and the county’s proposed response, but the meeting was not scheduled because the register of elections, the solicitor and staff were said to be unavailable.

“The lack of notification on issues from the administration has been a continuing course of conduct in my four years on the election commission,” Huff said. He also said commission members were denied access to view sample ballots at the elections office and that ballots on site contained copies of commission signatures that commissioners had not inspected or approved.

Acting director of administration Michael Colon told the council the elections office and related staff were preparing for election‑day operations and worked long hours the day before the election. Colon said the register of elections (referred to in staff notes as “Mister Comenie”) placed the contested ballots online for public inspection and emailed a bulleted summary to the commission explaining remedial steps taken after the Easton issue was identified. Colon said the Nazareth ballot matter went before a judge who affirmed the elections office position that the ballot was correct as constructed.

Colon said the Elections Commission will meet Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. in Council Chambers; the register of elections will give a report at that public meeting.

Huff urged the council to review the Home Rule Charter and consider clarifying the commission’s duties, including specifying a solicitor selected by the election commission rather than an assistant county solicitor who reports to the administration. Huff told the council he sought those changes to reduce the appearance of conflicts when the administration and commission disagree.

No formal council action on Charter changes or the commission’s solicitor assignment was taken at the Nov. 6 meeting. The Elections Commission meeting is the first scheduled public opportunity for commissioners to question the register of elections and for administration to present a full account of the events Huff and others described.