Northampton County Council conducted its final meeting of 2023 last night. Four members are leaving, so much of the meeting was consumed with goodbyes and accolades. But November's election debacle remains very much an issue. Elections Commissioner Scott Hough and citizen Roger Gilber both weighed in with their concerns.
Hough spoke as an outgoing member of the Elections Commission (EC). He was the sole member who refused to vote the certify the election results.
He told Council that he hopes that its recent establishment of an election integrity committee is not an attempt to overstep the Elections Commission. He said that it was "very disappointing" that nobody bothered to come to their meetings over two years until "things hit the fan."
He said Council oversight might actually be helpful in assuring that recommendations made by the EC are actually implemented. He noted that, over the summer, his board unanimously recommended that an additional drop box be placed in Region 4, which has a drop box in Bangor. He said that a drop box in a place like Northampton would be helpful to voters in the northern tier.
The county administration refused to implement this recommendation even though both the Home Rule Charter and the Election Code specifically provide that the EC is responsible for the "administration of elections."
"When we vote to give people an opportunity to vote, nothing happens," Hough complained.
He added that he also sought a meeting before the end of the year, but was notified there would be no meeting. He suggested that a through investigation is needed, echoing the sentiments of at least one other Elections Commissioner.
Gilbert was disgusted to be one of over 100 voters who came to the most recent EC meeting because they certified the results. "It didn't matter what you think, said their lawyer."
When Executive Lamont McClure later gave his report, he asked Council if they had any questions. They had none. He chose against addressing the concerns expressed by Hough and Gilbert, instead speaking about the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission budget and his recent appointment of an acting administrator.
12 comments:
The voters should vote Mr.McClure out. No one is above the law, the county executive should have addressed the concerns of Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Hough. Why are taxpayers paying his salary if he is not doing his job. Voting machine errors have plagued this county since 2019. Enough is Enough.
McClure is beyond reproach. He has made himself invulnerable to attacks. The election commission is of no concern to him and his lawyer he has advising them. He has three handpicked council people coming on next month. He has a bigtime top union leader lined up to fill the Zirisnki vacancy. That will give him four surefire votes and makes his vetoes safe from any override votes.
Problem is the guy he and union people are pushing has donated thousands of dollars to the McClure campaigns and some question whether that would compromise his ability to be a check and balance not to mention a conflict of interest.
Makes sense. Get meeting over with. Avoid rehashing public trust in secure voting, a core function of elected council/administration duties. Placate the public by forming an investigative committee, and a public sacrificial firing to draw attention and ire away from the fact that ESS , and the very same machines, will be used, once again, for the most important election of our lives.
As I've stated before it is NOT the Xpress Vote XL, which I consider a superior machine. It is the human who coded the ballot and then the human who tested it prior to the election. Pre-election testing is crucial and ES&S's failure to use a combinatorics program to test the ballot is what caused tis failure. In a municipal ballot, there are literally millions of combinations to check.
"McClure is beyond reproach. He has made himself invulnerable to attacks."
I agree McClure should have addressed the concerns raised by Hough. He will have to do so sooner or later. But he typically does not respond to issues raised from the floor. He did ask council if they had questions and they could have asked him to respond, which they sometimes do.
Nothing has changed, except voter trust and promised oversight, so which group will determine the final say? Will it be the Election commission , or Integrity committee, or council? What do they expect to change , except two people, to guarantee voter integrity?
The voters should vote Mr.McClure out...Can only happen in a Dem primary. Someone with $$ would have to pull a Baratta.
McClure is beyond reproach. He has made himself invulnerable to attacks....Yup. Most of the compaints are from R's and Tea Party types who don't vote in the Dem primary (the only way he can be beaten.)
bigtime top union leader lined up...Welcome back Bill.
Sources confirm that the union boss is not Bill but an even bigger boss. Bernie, isn't it a conflict of interest if the guy who gave thousands to Mcclure is on County Council?
To 11:21 that's an easy one. McClure has said he runs the elections. He and his lawyer have final say.
"He did ask council if they had questions and they could have asked him to respond, which they sometimes do."
Why? They all know he gives the same BS answers, so why bother.
So, bottom line is, voters must wait until 2024 election , and machine results , to see if voting program is successful or problematic…hanging onto fervent promises by Executive that it will be
Managed properly. Certainly makes one confident
So McClure is making you scrub comments about the big union boss he is getting on council, nice.
I posted your comment. Learn how to read. You fail to identify this person. What I can say is that five members of Council (three Rs and two Ds) will be unwilling to go along with a McClure pick unless it is Jimmy Hoffa.
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