Registration: Currently, over 227,000 people have registered to vote. The last day to register before this November's election is October 21. If you fail to register by then, you are out of luck. Although 22 states permit same-day registration, Pennsylvania is not among them. If you want to make sure your vote is counted, make sure you are registered.
Mail-in Ballots (MIBs): There have been over 39,000 requests for MIBs. Over 73,000 were requested in 2020. If you want to vote by mail. the last day on which you can apply for a MIB is October 29, 5 pm. They are available online. You can expect to receive your MIB, if you applied for one, in early October. That's when the drop boxes will be available, and at seven different places. You can locate them here. If there is an undated ballot, elections officials will try to get the voter to cure it before the election.
Military Ballots: They must by law be sent by Saturday. Commini said most are sent by email.
On Demand Balloting: I like to call this early voting, but Commini said it's different. It's an opportunity to apply for and receive a MIB at the elections office "on demand," and then fill it out and hand it in. But unlike early voting, the ballot itself is set aside with all other MIBs in a secure location until 7 am on election day. Commini has no definite date on which this will start but expects it will be ready in "early October." It will end October 29.
In-person Voting: If you prefer voting at your precinct, the polls open at 7 am and close at 8 pm. So long as you are in line by 8 pm, you must be allowed to vote. If you're uncertain where to vote, you can find your polling place here. "Paper ballots at the polling place are not a thing," said Commini. He said people who want to vote on paper can do so via a MIB. Provisional ballots are commonly used by voters whose eligibility is called into question on election day, or who appear at the wrong precinct but want to vote. The number of provisional and emergency ballots at each precinct has been increased dramatically to prevent a recurrence of 2023.
John Brown wants a list of all elections workers. - Council member John Brown asked for a list of all people who were elected or appointed to work on election day as a judge of elections, machine inspector, clerk, etc. He pointed out that these are public officials, but Commini told Brown that many poll workers have already told him they are concerned about personal information being released. Brown nevertheless said he'd like that list. I believe Brown (or anyone) is entitled to this information under the Right-to-Know Law, and his motive for seeking this information is irrelevant. But given the abuse being heaped on other elections workers throughout the country, I wish he'd reconsider. Just because you have a right does not mean you should exercise it. Also, the elections office is quite busy right now, and he is actually slowing them down from getting ready for what are in effect three elections. I would certainly insist on a formal right-to-know.
Problems on election day: If you have an issue on election day, you can call (610) 829-6260 or e-mail elections@norcopa.gov. If you have video, you can send it via email. Brown believes the calls should be recorded for evidentiary reasons, but that would actually be a violation of Pa.'s wiretapping laws.
What Does Election Office Need? Elbow room. Commini told Council that what he needs from them is what he's been requesting all along - more space. The elections office is scattered at about four different locations throughout the courthouse and needs more room. Yet Council has this far been unwilling to give the elections office the space it needs.
Is John Brown trying to make national news? Is he trying to set off a panic among election workers?
ReplyDeleteWhy would he demand personal information of campaign workers unless his goal is to sow chaos and fear.
I signed up to be a poll watcher and completed the training. Why does Brown need to know who I am and where I am?!? We pay the administration to do their jobs. I don’t understand why Brown needs to micromanage them. It’s the same old story with these Republicans.
ReplyDeleteBeing a poll watcher is different. That's a (much needed!) volunteer job. This is the actual poll workers that get elected and paid to log people in, handle provisional ballots, be judges of elections, things like that.
DeleteThank you for volunteering! But he is asking for the information of the poll workers, not watchers.
If you're being compensated with public funds then the public has a right to know who you are an what job you do. It's the law.
ReplyDelete11:45, It is, but under the law, personal identification info unique to the individual such as home address, home phone number, personal email, can be withheld. So I would insist that Brown file a formal RTK request to outline precisely what he wants. A list of names should be no problem, but personal information allowing a person to be doxed should be denied.
Delete"Just because you have a right does not mean you should exercise it. Also, the elections office is quite busy right now..."
ReplyDeleteWhen is the right time to request this? This request was driven by the debacles in two of the last three cycles. It's warranted and overdue. If you question things ahead of time, you're accused of slowing things down. If you question things afterward, you're accused of election denying. It's a convenient trap for those who might cheat or purposely avoid scrutiny. It's about time any council member attempted oversight - on anything.
2020 was the COVID year, but does 39000 seem light? I guess you still have a month to request but that seems a little light to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat personal information did Brown request? Did he actually ask for their addresses, emails, etc. as your fear-mongering suggests or did he simply request a list of their names?
ReplyDelete1:13, Brown did not specify he wanted addresses, to be fair. But what purpose could he have other than to conduct his own vetting of these paid volunteers?
ReplyDeleteGiven the last Presidential Election, seems like a simple and logical request. Good job, Mr. Brown.
DeleteStatewide, Democratic Party requests for ballots are down by over 300,000. That's about 27% down. Rs are down, but only by low single digits. Is this the pattern in NorCo and LeCo?
ReplyDeleteThe last 2 elections in Northampton County have been an embarrassment and resulted in 2 separate terminations of this administration’s staff and your only thought is that Brown requested a list of the election workers to dox or harass them? Your only thought is he would use this information to commit what would likely be considered a crime? The thought of having a list of people involved in the election process handy in the event there’s another issue didn’t cross your mind for one second. I’m sorry but who is in this cult you write about daily again?
ReplyDeleteWell let’s publish Councilman Brown’s address and information along with his fellow followers who are asking for poll workers information so ALL will be reviewed equally under the laws of our county……leave no snake under a rock unturned
ReplyDeleteDid no one ask “Why” Brown was asking for this information, or what he was intending to do with
ReplyDeleteIt? My guess is he didn’t personally want it for himself, but to pass out to those who may want to disrupt, or harass prior to or during polling time. He should be informed that contributing to and creating atmosphere of intimidation is punishable via fines and jail time to all those involved during the Election Day polling.