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Tuesday, April 26, 2022

UPDATED: Early Voting Has Begun

If you are leery of a mail-in ballot but have no desire to stand in a line at your precinct, there's a third option - early voting. It began in Northampton County on Monday. In Lehigh County, it starts May 2. I decided to try this option yesterday. You simply go to your elections office and tell them you want to vote. I was told that I'm either the fifth or sixth person to have voted so far. 

While I was there, Acting Registrar Amy Hess tried to get away, but I cornered her. She told me that the ballots just arrived from the printer on Thursday, thanks to several state lawsuits concerning redistricting that had to be resolved. Mail-in ballots are going out this week. This means you'll have very little time to fill them out and mail them in.

I've come to the conclusion that drop boxes are usually overkill. But given the delay in getting ballots from the printer, they are probably a good idea in this election. Drop box locations are as follows:

Northampton County: 

Rotunda of the Government Center – 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042
o  Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 8:00PM
When dropping off a ballot, voters can park for free in the loading-and-unloading zone on Washington Street in front of the courthouse or use the new parking lot at the intersection of Wolf Avenue and Washington Street.
 
Human Services Building – 2801 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem, PA 18020
o  Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 7:00PM
 
Northampton County 911 Center – 100 Gracedale Ave. Nazareth, PA 18064
o  Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 8:00PM
 
Bethlehem City Hall – 10 E. Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

o  Monday – Friday from 8:00AM – 4:00PM 

Lehigh County: 

• District#1

Whitehall Township Municipal Building

  • 3219 MacArthur Road, Whitehall, PA 18052
  • 610-437-5524
  • M-F 8:00AM- 4:00PM

• District #2

Lehigh County Authority (LCA) Lobby

  • 1053 Spruce Road, Allentown, PA 18106
  • 610-398-2503
  • M-F 8:15AM- 4:45PM


• District #3

Fountain Hill Borough  Building

  • 941 Long Street, Fountain Hill, PA 18015
  • 610-867-0301
  • M-F 8:30AM- 4:30PM


• District #4
o County Government Center
o 17 South 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101
o 610 782-3194
o 24/7 at the Lehigh County Voter Registration Office

• District #5

Macungie Borough Building

  • 21 Locust Street, Macungie, PA 18062
  • 610-966-2503
  • M-F 8AM-4PM

You can only drop off your own ballot. 

UPDATED 11 AM: In the original version of this story, I posted incorrect locations for Lehigh County drop boxes. I apologize for my error. 

21 comments:

  1. Please check your Lehigh County voting locations. I believe District 1 is Whitehall Township. God bless the liberty and freedom to vote by mail-in. Don't tread on my right to vote in-person, on demand, or by mail-in. Every qualified electorate's vote should count!

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  2. No cheating at all.

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  3. Sounds crooked to me.

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  4. So, are there any checks on the Emperor of Northampton County, McClure? I mean from voting to Gracedale to handing out money the guy can do what he wants. I doubt the Emperors in China were more powerful.

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  5. How many Mules in May?

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  6. Lehigh county will do an especially good job just like the last election.

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  7. I'm lazy and like drop boxes. But I admit to dropping multiple ballots for lazy friends and family members. I had no ill intent, unless my laziness is viewed that way. It's easy and nobody is watching. It's one of the few times I felt good about wearing a silly mask. The reality is there's absolutely no way to monitor drop boxes. I just can't believe they're permitted.

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  8. Lehigh county will welcome this news.

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  9. I find it curious that you may only drop off your own ballot in a drop box, but you could put the ballots of your entire household in a mailbox without issue.

    I hope the PA Supremes resolve the drop box and mail-in ballot situation, soon after the primary.

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  10. Glad to see Amy Hess working hard for drop boxes. The prior registar fought the staff and administration over drop boxes and really wanted to make it harder for people to vote. Beware Senator Casey loyalty and your new employee do not go hand in hand.

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  11. "The prior registar fought the staff and administration over drop boxes and really wanted to make it harder for people to vote."

    Good for her. She knew drop boxes are open invitations to fraud. That's why she ran the cleanest, most efficient elections in the state.

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  12. Off topic, but still no article anywhere about Bethlehem's IAFF president causing a major accident on 378 last week with injuries and fleeing the scene of the accident. Odd that a first responder would flee the scene of an accident he caused.

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  13. Vote early and often Democrats!

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  14. Hopefully the dead (who always vote democrat) can get their votes in the drop boxes

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  15. I prefer in person voting and applaud those with walkers and wheelchairs that are with me in line. It's nice to see everyone let them go first Glad for options for those who can't but it's a privilege that should be special on election day for those that can

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  16. All you lazy whining crybabies. I bet none of you have taken the time to read the rules or even better taken the time to learn and become part of the process. That is the problem in America today. Most have become a bunch of whiners and do not get involved. We have become a country of fups failures and fools without the fortitude to become involved and do what needs to be done. And we envy those who get the most by doing the least. And further idolize those that only say what we want to hear regardless of if they are screwing us on the other side. We see it exemplified with our politicians at federal, state and local levels. And even in our business leaders or what few real business leaders we have. At some point it hollows everything out and then it crumbles into itself. Be part of the solution or you are the problem.

    Examine yourself before you complain as you are most likely part of the problem. And hold yourself to each standard you expect others to. Don't just be a hypocrite.

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  17. Absentee ballot yes! Mail-in ballot no! There’s a difference and it sad our elected officials passed this.

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  18. The laws should be passed that make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote instead of passing legislation attempting to take away somebody's right to vote. My wife and I have voted in every election since 1963, both primary and general elections. Yes, sometimes we voted by absentee ballot and recently by mail in ballot. This year we will vote by utilizing the drop box conveniently located in the County. when my wife was in the hospital she was insistent that I go to the Courthouse and get her a "Court order" so she can vote. The Courts granted the order and my wife's voting record stayed in Tact. Don't make it harder for me to vote. I and my wife are very proud of our voting records and we want to continue with that record as long we have a breath left in us. You can check our voting record at the Courthouse.
    Gerald and Julianna Seyfried
    116 Elections in a row.

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  19. I am against this early voting unless it's within a few days of the election. Look what happened in Virginia when McCauliffe had that major gaffe in the debate. Early voting had already begun and many people had already voted and were upset. Early voting should not happen unless, at the very least, all debates have concluded. A few days prior to election day seems reasonable, not weeks out.

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  20. Here is something that puzzles me. The can't figure out who votes and there are complaints about it all the time but yet they can quote people voting records. Sounds to me like politicians play with it far to much and should be crushed it they get caught doing it. And anyone who does it in the littlest way should be crushed as well.

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You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.