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Luzerne County residents urge reinstatement of ballot drop boxes as board defers to county administration
Summary
At a Sept. 18 meeting of the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration, residents overwhelmingly urged the board to restore ballot drop boxes the county manager removed; the board approved polling locations and a bylaw change and heard assurances staff is addressing registration processing but could not provide exact backlog figures during the meeting.
Luzerne County residents and election officials met Sept. 18 as the Board of Elections and Registration approved polling-place locations for the Nov. 5 general election, heard a status update on a provisional-envelope variance request to the Pennsylvania Department of State, and fielded more than two hours of public comment largely focused on the county administration's decision to remove ballot drop boxes.
Many speakers urged the board to reverse the county manager's action. Former deputy election staff, election workers and dozens of voters described drop boxes as secure, regularly monitored and essential for voters with limited mobility, demanding their reinstatement. Beth Gilbert, a former deputy director of elections, told the board that Luzerne County’s drop boxes "have always been secure" and described surveillance, sheriff collection and strict chain-of-custody procedures in place.
Opponents of the drop-box program cited safety and security concerns. Some residents raised longstanding questions about past local election problems and alleged processing delays. Ben Herring of Duryea and others cited prior events in 2022 and asked for more accountability and clearer answers from county administration. Several speakers called for immediate publication of precise counts on pending voter-registration applications and mail-in ballots to dispel rumors; staff said a weekly "elections task calendar" and up-to-date registration numbers would be posted on the county website beginning Sept. 23.
Election bureau leadership and board staff told attendees they had increased temporary staffing for mail-in ballot processing and that voter-registration processing was "caught up to last week" when checked that day. Director of Elections Emily Cook described the workflow (time-stamping paper applications, duplicate checks and database verification) and said the office had started processing mail-in ballot applications two weeks earlier than required and planned to begin mailing ballots in October after required logic and accuracy testing.
Board action during the meeting included approval of the November polling-place locations (motion by Miss Fusaro; second by Mister Morelli) with two precincts still pending ADA assessment and scheduled to be finalized at the next meeting. The board also approved an amendment to its bylaws shifting minute-taking duties from the secretary to the board clerk (motion carried) and tabled a previous July 12 special-meeting transcript to allow a revision to include a solicitor citation. Solicitor Molino said he had sent a letter to Deputy Secretary Jonathan Marks requesting a variance to add yellow highlighting on provisional ballot outer envelopes where signatures are required; that change would not be implemented until the 2025 municipal primary if approved.
Public commenters voiced sharply divergent views on the decision to remove drop boxes. Advocates said the change will disproportionately affect seniors, voters with disabilities and those who lack reliable transportation; opponents argued security risks or said the change resolved safety concerns. Multiple speakers recommended solutions other than wholesale removal, such as increased security measures at drop-box locations. The board and staff repeatedly noted limits to their authority: several procedural and statutory questions — including whether drop boxes are permitted in certain forms — were referred to the Department of State guidance or to the county administration's decisions.
The board ended the meeting by promising a weekly transparency calendar and outstanding registration statistics beginning Sept. 23. Members of the public asked the board to publish exact backlog numbers immediately; staff said they would continue to bring in temporary assistance as needed to meet deadlines and provide updates on processing status.
Votes at a glance: the board adopted the meeting agenda, approved May 12 and June 12 minutes, tabled July 12 special-meeting minutes for revision, approved the November 2024 polling-place locations, and passed the bylaw amendment transferring minute-taking duties to the board clerk. The meeting adjourned at 8:54 p.m.
