Zrinski Addresses NorCo Primary Election Failures

On Wednesday, I posted a story about NorCo Elections Comm'n meeting the previous day during which nine people (Republicans and elections workers) expressed dissatisfaction with the way the county handled May's primary. Before that meeting ever happened, there were already indications that some things were amiss. Elections Registrar Chirs Commini honestly admitted that some voters who requested mail-in ballots received them, but for the wrong party. He also acknowledged that, just like the last election cycle, some voters received the wrong ballots. 

At the post-election meeting, it became clear that redistricting created issues in which some people running for state committee no longer lived in the voting district while others who did inexplicably never appeared on the ballot. There was an even more serious problem when it was discovered that epollbooks (used to check in voters) were never updated. This means that voters who had voted by mail could also cast a vote in person. Thankfully, nobody tried, but an important safeguard designed to ensure that each person votes only once, was missing. This hardly inspires public confidence. Finally, there were the usual training errors that, to be honest, are bound to happen no matter how hard you try to prevent them. Some people who work elections only two days a year are just going to make mistakes even though former Elections Registrar Amy Cozze prepared a thick binder for elections judges with the "dos" and "don'ts" on election day. Unfortunately, thanks to 30-second videos on Tik Tok and Youtube, we now have the attention spans of a housefly. 

These problems, as I told you, prompted Republican Elections Comm'rs to move to suspend pop-up elections for the remainder of 2026 on the theory that we are simply tasking elections officials with too much. They are statutorily required to run three elections (Mail-in ballots, ballot-on demand and in-person). Before shackling them with a fourth election, why not wait until they can pull off an election without any major issues like one in which voters could easily have voted twice? Democrats disagreed, and they outnumbered the Republicans. 

Administrator Mark Aurand told the Elections Comm'rs that there was no proof that conducting four pop-up elections or that sending two people to man a satellite office for four weeks to get a measly two votes directly caused the problems that occurred. That's true, but it's certainly a fair inference.  

Executive Tara Zrinski had previously told County Council it was a "smooth" election. To her credit, she has now acknowledged the process problems at last night's meeting of NorCo Council. Though she at one point minimized them as "very few and minor hiccups," she did indicate that her office would be conducting an after-action review to determine what went right and what went wrong. 

This year, we redistricted and changed several polling locations. And although party chairs were informed, as we proceeded with the approval from the state, the Northampton Republican Party chose to sue over the registering, and therefore delayed the process. ... And the Commonwealth Court approved our districts in February, February 4th, to be exact. So I want to emphasize that redistricting in a non-residential cycle when turnout is expected to be low in a non-contentious primary. Are the optimal conditions to troubleshoot and work out income kings.

This was not the way the Elections Commission saw, the very few and minor hiccups that occurred on the 19th. An elections commission meeting was held earlier this week, and complaints were brought to the commission regarding the recent primary elections, and they will be addressed. ... 

No votes were counted twice, even if cast, because of the safeguards placed, or in place to ensure that everyone only gets one vote. Nonetheless, the commission is expected to certify the election results next week.

And for the administration, again, I want to emphasize that the primary election was conducted in a manner that was free, fair, secure and accurate. And while there were concerns raised, as there always are, in a large scale public process, we take those seriously and we continue to refine our procedures. Our elections office is already focused on improvements for fall. Over the next few months, priorities of the election office will include re-examining procedures to add quality assurance steps.

Re-evaluating several of the new polling places, getting the new electronic poll books up and running, and the office also plans to hold a post event analysis of the primary election. De collections success days that went well and basically not go well.

And the goal will be to enhance procedures for the general election in the fall.

It's true that nobody voted twice, which would be a felony. But this would not have been caught until after the election and unofficial votes were tabulated. Safeguards need to prevent that from happening at all. It is, however, encouraging that Zrinski has listened to what these people had to say and will tryo to minimize future errors. 

Whether she knows it or not, however, she made one announcement that betrays a complete misunderstanding of the Elections Commission's role. It exists to administer elections, both under the express language of the Home Rule Charter and the Elections Code. Yet the administration has taken it upon itself to purchase new epollbooks without bothering to ask the Elections Comm'n first. 

In Northampton County, the Elections Comm'n has been relegated to a perfunctory body whose sole purpose is to simply certify elections. That needs to change. 

It's understandable that things have gone in this direction. Though the elections commission is required to administer elections, it is not a salary board and has no authority to set salaries. It lacks the power of the purse, which should be jealously guarded by county council. Moreover, these officials are unelected and, though they deserve our respect and gratitude for the time they spend, they should have no say in how we spend our money. 

That is why Northampton County's Elections Commission, like the Board of Elections in counties that operate under the county code. should consist of County Council members and the Executive. During years in which the at-large members and Executive are running for election, they should be replaced by the four district Council members and a voter selected by the court to insure minority representation. If the at-large Council members and Exec all belong to the same party, the courts can pick a representative from a minority party. 

I believe this approach will fulfill both the spirit and letter of the Elections Code. It will require a change to the Home Rule Charter. I will come up with a proposal next week, and will also tell you what elese happened during a brief but interesting meeting.

NorCo Elections Comm'n Votes 3-2 To Continue Pop-Up Voting Despite Elections Failures

At Northampton County Council's May 21 meeting, Executive Tara Zrinski reported that the Spring Primary went "smoothly," In reality, there were a number of problems. Before the election, some voters received ballots for the wrong party while others actually received duplicate ballots. As a result of redistricting, some party committee members were incorrectly listed in the wrong district while others were completely omitted. And on election day, epollbooks showed that voters were eligible to vote in person even though they had previously sent in mail-in-ballots (MIBs). These kinds of errors undermine public confidence in the elections process and need to be addressed. Northampton County's Elections Comm'n, however, is going to continue doing exactly what is causing this problem by requiring elections workers to do too much. 

The Elections office is already statutorily tasked with conducting what amounts to three elections every cycle.  There's in-person voting at the polling place, mail-in ballots and ballot-by demand. Last year, the county also decided to add a satellite office on Bethlehem's south side for four weeks so that people could either apply for MIBs or vote ballot by demand. Two people had been diverted from their usual duties to make it easier for people to vote. "That was not well attended," admitted Voter Registrar Chris Commini.

In addition to the satellite office, the county decided this year to stage "pop up" elections at Lafayette College (31 votes) Northampton Community College (3 votes), Upper Mt Bethel Tp Municipal Building (handful) and Lower Saucon (handful. To run these four pop-up events, elections workers had to be diverted from their usual duties. 

I understand and fully appreciate the importance of engaging as many voters as possible. But before conducting pop-ip elections or establishing satellite offices, county officials should be able to demonstrate that they con conduct the elections they are statutorily required to conduct with ease. Based on the past few elections, it's pretty clear that they need to focus on what they are required by law to do before branching out. 

At yesterday's meeting of the elections commission, nine people (elections judges and Republican party members voiced their concerns. What they had to say was summed up best by Matt Flower, who said that the elections failures fell into three categories - redistricting failures, training failures, and election system failures.

Redistricting failures. "Election registrar Chris Commini testified 4 times that no elected office would be impacted by redistricting.After the petition circulation period had already begun, they issued an email acknowledging that elected offices had in fact been affected. The consequences were real.In Upper Nazareth Township and Forks Township, both municipalities affected by redistricting, candidates appeared on the ballot in precincts, where they did not reside and were omitted from precincts, where they were legally eligible to hold office. In other cases, elected officials had their positions extinguished with no individualized notice.

Training failures. "In Wind Gap, poll workers were observed allowing voters to choose either party's primary ballot regardless of voter registration status. This procedural defect allows members of opposing parties to influence each other's primary elections. In Bath, the judge of elections was observed instructing that individuals who already voted would not be permitted back into the voting area, and that it did not matter whether they possessed valid poll watcher credentials. A clear violation of election law.

Election system failures. "Electronic poll books were not updated before the polls opened to identify voters who had already cast mail-in ballots. As a result, voters who already voted by mail could still appear eligible to vote at the polls, and the primary safeguard against duplicate voting was not functioning for a substantial portion of the election day.

These are not isolated mistakes. They are part of a pattern. Election integrity is measured by execution. Accurate ballots, accurate poll books, properly trained election workers. These are the core functions of election administration. When election administration failures become recurring events as they have in Northampton County, public confidence begins to erode. ... The voters of Northampton County are not asking for perfection. We are asking for competence.

Based on these issues, GOP Comm'n members Scott Hough and Shawn Welch suggested that the county suspend any pop-up elections in November. But they were outvoted by Democratic Commission members Sharon Gavin-Levy, Richard Groff and Becky Bartlett. Groff said the county could simply hire more people to help run elections, but the reality is that it takes several cycles for a temp or even a full-time worker to understand the system. 

I understand why the Democrats voted as they did. But I believe the county should focus on doing what the law mandates before getting into things that would be nice to see. In November, when turnout is going to be much higher, these mistakes are going to grow. 

UPDATED: Brooks Wins Pa. 07 Congressional Race

Over the past few weeks, you could feel the momentum moving towards Bob Brooks in the four-way race for the Democratic nomination to the Pa. 07's Congressional District. While the dust is still settling as I write this, it's clear that he is going to be the Democratic nominee against incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie. 

Brooks, who branded himself as an Everyman, easily defeated three other contenders. He had help. Lots of money. Lots of endorsements, including the Governor and the DCCC. Stories about his MAGA social posts and his refusal to pay a judgment obtained by his mother-in-law for the home in which he lives, did manage to make numerous mainstream news outlets. They weren't enough to overcome the momentum. 

At the same time, former NorCo Exec Lamont McClure was unable to gather the funds he needed to be competitive. He lent his campaign $200,000, but that was far from enough. He could usually rely on lots of money from the trade unions, but some of that money went to Brooks, who is President of the Pa. Firefighters' Association. His decision to force Administrator Charles Dertinger to resign over a botched election, hurt him. Dertinger could usually be counted on to raise money for McClure, but I doubt there there was much desire to help in this race. McClure burned a lot of bridges as Executive and was extremely unpopular with county employees. That alone probably cost him about 5,000 votes, to say nothing of 1,600 retirees.  Just recently, he called a County Council member's boss in an attempt to encourage her to vote for a tax break to a developer who wanted to build luxury apartments. Though he adamantly denies pressuring this Council member through her boss, he exhibited very poor judgment. 

McClure actually came in 4th in Lehigh and Monroe County

Had this race gone on a bit longer (thankfully it did not), I believe Crosseell would have won. He had a terrific ground game and came across as both knowledgeable and sincere to voters suspicious of a former Republican who moved here to run. 

Carol Obando-Derstine, the sole woman in the race, should have garnered 17% of the vote simply because she's a woman, and she did. There are some Democrats who are very much into identity politics. According to WFMZ-TV69, she finished with 17% of the vote. In Lehigh County, thanks mostly to Victor Martinez and his Spanish-speaking radio station, she finished with 21.85% of the vote. She even finished second in Monroe County, though the number of voters there was small. 

Brooks will go on to face Ryan Mackenzie in November. While I certainly have no intention of voting for Mackenzie, I will NOT be voting for Brooks. 

In another closely watched primary for State Rep in Allentown's 22d Legislative District, Ce-Ce Gerlach easily defeated Ana Tiburcio. All the King's horses and all the King's men, from Mike Schlossberg to Peter Schweyer, were unable to overcome Gerlach's campaign hustle. 

Northampton County, as usual, had problems. This time, some voters who had received mail-in ballots were incorrectly listed as eligible to vote in e-pollbooks. Perhaps NorCo needs to focus less on pop-up elections and satellite offices and more on ensuring that it can actually do what it is statutorily required to do. 

UPDATED 11:00 AM: Incumbent Ryan Mackenzie had this reaction to Brooks' nomination to Pa. 07:

Allentown, PA — The Mackenzie for Congress campaign issued the following statement in response to Democrats nominating Bob Brooks in PA-07.

“Tonight, after spending millions of dollars in dark money on his behalf, the Democratic establishment got their hand-picked candidate: con-man and fraudster Bob Brooks. These groups steamrolled local Democrats and hijacked the democratic process in order to nominate a corrupt political insider, a wealthy lobbyist with a vast stock portfolio, and someone who has a record of stealing from his own family. The establishment Democrat machine has done this for one reason: they know that Bob Brooks will follow orders from his political bosses, just like he did as a union boss. The people of the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos will reject this dumpster fire of a candidate," said Mackenzie for Congress spokesman Arnaud Armstrong. 

“As a result of Brooks’ history of scams and schemes that we heard about throughout the primary, the Mackenzie for Congress campaign is also announcing the launch of the Bob Brooks Hotline. Residents of the community who have been ripped off or targeted by conman and fraudster Bob Brooks - or have other information about his checkered past - can report their experiences by calling (484) 272-4215.”

Check the Facts:

• Bob Brooks takes orders from Shapiro on union endorsements
• Registered lobbyist
• “Working-class” millionaire and stock trader
• Democrat machine runs interference for Brooks
• National Democrats steamroll local activists
• Scamming his in-laws

UPDATED: Any Problems at Polling Places? Last Minute Pitches?

Voting begins at 7 am. How was your experience? Long waiting lines? Turnout? My guess is that this should be an uneventful race for elections workers. Unlike municipal races, there are far fewer elections. I intend to visit a few polling places by bike. If you see me, please don't run me over. 

Feel free to make last-minute pitches. 

UPDATED 4:15 PM: According to Matt Flower, who is electioneering and not working for the elections office, some voters who received mail-in ballots (MIBs) are being shown as eligible to vote in the e-pollbooks. Around noon, the elections office sent a text (I have a copy) to elections workers advising that the e-pollbooks (the electronic book used to check in voters) are being updated and delivered to precincts. In the meantime, elections workers are advised to cross-reference the e-pollbook with a list of voters who applied for MIBs.  If the voter is listed as having applied for a MIB, but the e-pollbook shows that he is eligible to vote, the voter must be issued a provisional ballot. 

NorCo Registrar Voting Discusses Upcoming Primary

At yesterday's meeting of NorCo's Elections Commission, Registrar Chris Commini acknowledged that human error still exists with mail-in ballots (MIBs) resulting in the wrong ballots neing sent to voters. But unlike last year, the elections office caught the error itself. He also reported on a less than stellar turnout at a pop-up voting event at NorCo Community College.

Northampton County's Election Comm'n is charged under both the Home Rule Charter and state law with the administration of elections, but in practice, the Executive has made decisions that should be in their wheelhouse, even to the point of selecting the Voting Registrar.  This has led to controversy in the past, but yesterday's meeting was focused on the upcoming primary. 

It is a five-member body consisting of three members of the majority and two members of the minority parties. The Democratic members are Chair Sharon Gavin-Levy, Becky <strike>Bradley</strike> Bartlett and Richard Groff. Republican members are Scott Hough and Shawn Welch.

Pop-Up Voting. - Commini told the Board that there were just three voters at the pop-up voting event held at Northampton Community College. Not many popped up. The turnout was better at Lafayette College, where 31 people obtained a ballot-by-demand. Two more pop-up events are scheduled in Upper Mount Bethel (last night) and at Lower Saucon Tp's Municipal Bldg (9am-12pm on Friday). 

Ballots on-demand. So far, 44 voters have sought ballots-on demand. 

Mail-in Ballots. - 24,494 ballots were mailed on the 1st day. As of yesterday, an additional 1,232 MIBs have been sent. 

Elections Office Errors. If something can go wrong, it will. There is no exception to Murphy's Law, even when it comes to elections in an office that is now charged with conducting four elections (MIBs, in-person, ballot-on-demand and pop-up voting) 

According to Commini, some voters received an incorrect party ballot. On top of this, some voters received a duplicate ballot package due to labeling. "I just want to point out that the voters have been instructed to destroy one of those packets, and the machine we have in place does not allow them to submit both ballots." Finally, one precinct initially received incorrect ballots. This error was identified and all affected voters were contacted directly and provided with the correct ballot. Commini said he was aware who was responsible for this mistakes and tht the matter is being handled internally. 

"Ballot-on-Demand" Voting Has Started in NorCo

[From Northampton County Elections, PA] –The Northampton County Elections Office announces that Ballot-on-Demand voting for the Tuesday, May 19 Primary Election started on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the Northampton County Elections Office (Government Center, 669 Washington Street, Lower Level, Easton, PA 18042).

 

Registered Democratic and Republican Party voters in Northampton County can vote in person on the following dates:

 

o  Wednesday, April 29 – Friday, May 1 (8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)

o  Saturday, May 2 (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)

o  Monday, May 4 – Friday, May 8 (8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

o  Saturday, May 9 (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)

o  Monday, May 11 (8:30 a.m.– 6:00 p.m.)

o  The LAST day for Ballot-on-Demand will be Tuesday, May 12 (8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

 

During this time, Northampton County residents who are eligible to vote can come to the Elections Office, register if they still need to, fill out a ballot application, which will be processed immediately, and be handed a ballot over the counter. Voters may fill out the ballot in the office and return it the same day, OR they may take it home and mail it back via USPS (postage prepaid), utilize one of the seven secure ballot drop boxes throughout the County, or utilize the drop box at Voter Services Pop-ups.  

 

You must bring a valid ID with you to the Elections Office to receive a ballot. The County’s seven secure ballot drop-off boxes were installed on April 28, 2026.

 

Registered voters who have already applied for a mail-in ballot ARE NOT ELIGIBLE for Ballot-on-Demand and must wait to receive their ballot in the mail.

 

To ensure that your mail-in ballot is accepted:

• Your ballot MUST BE enclosed in the YELLOW secrecy envelope and sealed;
• Do NOT write anywhere on the YELLOW envelope. There can be NO identifying marks or symbols;
•  The  PURPLE return envelope must be signed, dated on the back in the appropriate YELLOW boxes, and sealed;
• The ballot must be returned to the Elections Office or to a County Drop Box NO LATER THAN 8:00 pm on Election night, Tuesday, May 19.  USPS postmarks do NOT count if your ballot is received after this deadline.

NorCo's Seven Drop Box Locations and Hours

 

Secure Ballot Drop-off Boxes Installed on April 28, 2026 for the May 2026 Primary Election

[FROM Northampton County, PA] –The Northampton County Elections Office announced that ballot drop-off boxes were installed on April 28, 2026 at the following locations:   Washington Township Municipal Building (Interior Hallway): 1021 Washington Blvd., Bangor, PA 18013 Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.; Friday 7:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Election Day: 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.   East Allen Township Municipal Building (Main Lobby): 5344 Nor Bath Blvd., Northampton, PA 18067 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. Election Day: 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.   NCC Fowler Family Southside Center (Main Lobby): 511 E. 3rd St., Bethlehem, PA 18015 Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m., Friday 7:00 a.m.- 8:30 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Election Day: 7:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.   Northampton County Courthouse (Rotunda): 669 Washington St., Easton, PA 18042 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Election Day: 8:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.   Northampton County Human Services Building (Main Entrance Vestibule): 2801 Emrick Blvd., Bethlehem, PA 18020 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am - 7:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Election Day: 8:30 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.   Northampton County 911 Center (Main Entrance Vestibule): 100 Gracedale Ave., Nazareth, PA 18064 Hours: 24 Hours/7 Days a week Election Day: Until 8:00 p.m.   Bethlehem City Hall (Main Lobby): 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Election Day: 7:00 a.m .- 8:00 p.m.   All seven drop boxes will be available for Northampton County voters. Accessing drop-off boxes does not require going through security at any location. Applications for mail-in and civilian absentee ballots are available in the Elections Office or at this link: www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin   The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is May 12 by 5:00 p.m., both online and in person.   Voters are also able to drop off ballots securely at the Northampton County Elections Office on the Lower Level of Northampton County Courthouse, 669 Washington St., Easton, PA 18042, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. from April 29- May 11, 2026. The Elections Office will also be open on Saturday, May 2 and Saturday, May 9 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Politics PA: Independents Are on the Rise

PoliticsPA reports that independent voters are on the rise. Of the 67,000 residents who registered to vote since September, 70% of them chose no political affiliation. This is in no doubt due to disenchantment with both political parties. I'd be registered independent myself if I could vote in primaries. 

In the Pa. 7th Congressional district, 3,300 new voters are independents. Democrats have picked up 1,431, while Republicans only attracted 849. Independents currently make up 16.91% of the district's total voters. 

This increase in the number of independent voters is precisely why they should be included in local election boards, as Lehigh County has proposed. 

Lehigh County Considers Adding Independent to Elections Board

Every Pennsylvania county has a board of elections or elections commission, whose job is to administer elections each year. In NorCo, the elections commission consists of three members of the majority party and two members of the minority party. In Lehigh, the elections board consists of the county executive or his designee, one member of the majority party and one member of the minority party. If he is up for re-election or running for another office, the President Judge appoints someone to replace him, but that person must be from the same party as the executive. 

In both counties, the elections board is designed to give the majority party the deciding vote. This bothered Sarah Fevig, a newly elected Lehigh County Commissioner. So she went to work, drafting and researching a proposed change to Lehigh County's Home Rule Charter that will add an independent voter to the board. That way, the ability of the major parties to politicize the elections process will be minimized. A measure like this, which requires the assent of voters in a county-wide referendum, could also help restore faith in the integrity of our elections.  

Fevig gave a detailed explanation of her rationale at a committee meeting on Wednesday. She proposes  modernizing the county’s election governance structure to better reflect current demographic, political, and institutional realities. Lehigh's Home Rule Charter, established in 1978 and last updated in 1986, provides for a three-member board: the county executive and one representative from each major political party. She believes this results in a partisan majority and presents potential conflicts of interest, particularly when the executive must recuse himself as a candidate.

She added that there's been significant changes over time—including substantial population growth, an increase in independent voters, and evolving national concerns about election integrity. She suggests that her proposal establishes a more balanced and representative system.

Under her proposal, the election board would expand from three to five members. It would include two representatives from each of the two largest political parties, but importantly, would add one representative from the third-largest affiliation. Currently, this would result in two Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent member. It would eliminate any single-party majority and introduce a broader range of perspectives.

The independent member would have to be someone who has been registered as an independent for two years.

Current elected officials and candidates would be unable to serve on the board, aiming to reduce political influence and conflicts of interest. Political parties could still nominate candidates, but residents would also be able to apply and participate in interviews for board positions.

The Board of Commissioners to remove members for cause if they fail to properly fulfill their duties. Furthermore, the county executive (or designee) would continue to participate as a non-voting, ex officio member, ensuring coordination between the election board and the county administration without exerting direct control.

Lehigh County is indisputably blue, so as a political matter, why would Democrats support this change? Fevig, several Democratic Commissioners like Dan Hartzell and Geoff Brace, offered their support. It was even supported by Exec Josh Siegel. They argue this reform will strengthen public trust in elections by ensuring fairness, transparency, and shared responsibility across political lines. Particular attention was given to the growing number of independent voters and the importance of including their representation in election oversight.

The next step is to present this proposal as a ballot measure for voters to consider in November, allowing the public to directly decide whether to adopt the new system.

This is perhaps the best piece of legislation I've seen in county government in recent years. Northampton County should consider a similar measure. 

"Pop Up" Voter Service Events Proposed as a Pilot in NorCo

Every election cycle, Northampton County's elections office conducts what amounts to three elections. First, mail-in balloting enables a voter to apply for and either mail in his choice for various offices or drop off his ballot at one of seven secure ballot boxes throughout the county. Second, ballot-by-demand enables a voter to appear at the elections or a satellite office, request his ballot and complete it on the spot.  Third, there's traditional in-person voting at precincts on election day. Now, elections registrar Chris Commini is proposing a fourth election. At a special meeting of the elections commission yesterday, he sought a blessing for "pop up voter service events to expand access for voters in Northampton County ahead of the 2026 primary election."

Commini said that pop-up voter services are the same as that provided with ballot-by-demand at the county or satellite offices, but at different locales. People can register to vote, complete a mail-in ballot application, receive their ballot and either drop it off or take home for review. A $40 drop box will be available and will be returned to the elections office by deputy sheriffs. These services would exist until May 12, the last day on which mail-in ballots can be requested. 

The two locations under consideration are Lafayette College and Northampton Community College. While this might make it easier for students to register and vote, it will be difficult for the elderly or handicapped to walk the rather large parking lots at Northampton Community College or to find convenient parking at Lafayette. So it's really no service to the elderly. But if the pilot program is successful in this year's primary, Commini noted that these services could be offered at numerous fairs and festivals with a more diverse audience. I'd suggest that it be offered at area nursing homes and senior housing as well. Solicitor Michael Vargo and Commini both noted that Montgomery County uses a van as a satellite office for ballot by demand at different events. 

The sole Commissioner to vote No to this proposal was Scott Hough. "I'm worried about security and I'm worried about fairness," he said. Since the pop-up event would be manned by existing staff and the mobile drop box would be transported by deputy sheriffs, it appears that this is secure. But fairness? In a primary, pop-up services that target two colleges might adversely impact more conservative Democrats. And in a general election, pop-up services that are limited to colleges would be a boon to Democrats and would hurt Republicans.  For that reason, it would be important to have locations that attract Republicans. 

On top of this concern is Murphy's Law. If something can go wrong, it will. In recent years, we've had machine failures, ballot issues and voters who have received ballots for the wrong district. I am far from confident that this is the right time and would be more comfortable with this laudable effort to increase access if we could first pull of one or two elections without too many issues. Perhaps that is never possible.  

According to Commini, NorCo would be the first county to offer pop-up voter services. Solicitor Michael Vargo and Commini both noted that Montgomery County uses a van as a satellite office for ballot by demand at different events. 

Taiba Sultana's Nomination Petition for State Senate is Among 41 Challenges Across the State

Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Court has received 41 separate challenges to nomination petitions filed by statewide and congressional candidates. Locally, objections have been filed to Taiba Sultana's nomination petition for the State Senate seat held by Lisa Boscola. She is required to have the signature support of 500 registered voters who live in her district, but according to papers filed by Allentown lawyer Ray Lahoud, she only has 484 valid signatures among the 901 people who endorsed her candidacy. 

Lahoud, you may recall, paid for campaign signs calling Sultana "CRAZY, CHAOTIC CRIMINAL" when she ran unsuccessfully for State Rep. two short years ago. Sultana responded with a defamation suit, which she lost. There's no love lost between these two. 

The actual petitioners are interesting, too. They include Patti Hitzel, a South Side Easton activist who can be seen at every City Council meeting and who was the victim of some ugly attacks by Sultana. They include Easton First Lady Pam Panto, whose husband Sal was rather routinely and unfairly called a bigot and sexist by Sultana. 

In addition to the signature challenge, Lahoud contends that Sultana's required Statement of Financial Interests, which must be filed with the nomination petition, is also invalid. 

Under the State Ethics Act, a candidate must report all direct and indirect sources of income in excess of $1,300. She must also report her "occupation or profession."  She reports that she is "self-employed", but that denies the public the right to know exactly what she is doing. The public is this deprived of knowing the sources of her income. 

Although no court has ruled on this question, the Pa Supreme Court threw out a nomination petition filed by a law school graduate who was not yet a practicing attorney. The court concluded that this misled the public. So if someone lists her occupation as self-employed, but fails to state how this person is self-employed, does this mislead the public, too? That's what the Commonwealth Court is being asked to decide. 

Lahoud also raised some questions about the circulator affidavits 

Tiburcio Nomination Petition for Pa. State Rep Under Siege

Locally, two nomination petitions for state senate and the state house have been challenged. The objections to Taiba Sultana's quest for the Pa State Senate are discussed above. This post is about the challenge to Ana Tiburcio's attempt to make the ballot as a Democratic candidate for the 22d legislative district in Allentown. Tiburcio was required to obtain 300 signatures from Democrats who live and vote in her district. Her petition contains 578 signatures, but papers filed by Attorney Elliott Love contends that 317 of them are invalid. 

Love's suit was filed on behalf of Jessica Lee Ortiz and Paulette Hunter, who are obviously doing Ce-Ce Gerlach's dirty work for her. 

In addition to challenging the validity of signatures, Attorney Love contends that several of the circulator affidavits are defective. 

Among those who circulated Tiburcio's petition are State Reps. Michael Schlossberg, Steve Samuelson and Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk. 

LC Elections Registrar and Hairy Guy Tim Benyo is Resigning March 20

 In Lehigh County, Tim Benyo is known as the Director of Elections. It's a position he's held for the past 16 years. But in Jim Thorpe, he's better known as an owner of the Hairy Guys Brewery. As his interest in craft beers appears to eclipse those daily commutes to Allentown, Benyo has decided to step down as Lehigh's Elections Registrar, effective March 20.

He won't leave Lehigh County in the lurch and has offered to lend his assistance as needed. I've always found Tim to be an accessible and transparent elections director, and his steady hand guided the county through some drastic changes in our elections process over the past few years. He will be missed. 

I hope to see him on the D&L Trail this summer. 

NorCo's Final Turnout in Municipal Races Has Nearly Doubled Since 2015

At yesterday's meeting of Northampton County's Elections Commission, Voter Registrar Chris Commini said he was "elated" by a 40.2% turnout in what is usually considered a sleepy municipal race. He has good reason to be pleased, if not also a little tired. Review of previous elections results reveal that turnout in municipal elections has nearly doubled since 2015. In that year, turnout was 21.13%. It increased in 2017 (22.54%) and 2019 (28.05%). This increased to 32.50% in 2021 and 33.18% in 2023. While kitchen table issues are probably the main reason for this increased interest, it's undeniable that mail-in ballots (MIBs), ballot-by demand (called "early voting" by some), and drop boxes have made voting more convenient. Provisional balloting has also played a role in ensuring that votes are counted.

Election day ballots (61,339) still outnumbered MIBs (30,542) by a factor of nearly 2 to 1. In addition, people uncertain of their status are voting provisionally. In this year's race, 343 provisional ballots were counted. 

Do drop boxes help increase turnout? According to Commini, 6,400 votes came in from the 7 drop boxes throughout the county. In addition, 457 voters exercised "ballot by demand" at the courthouse and another 44 received MIBs at the Fowler Center.

There are risks to MIBs. If you wait too long to use the post office, you run the risk of having your ballot arrive too late to be counted. You could forget to sign or date the return envelope. But the biggest issue is the problem of "naked ballots." These are ballots from voters who fail to place their MIB in a secrecy envelope to ensure that their vote is private. If a voter makes this mistake, his vote will be automatically invalidated. Elections Solicitor Michael Vargo said ballot sorting machines can sometimes sense that there is no secrecy envelope, and in those cases, attempts are made to contact the voter. But even with this precaution, he said that there are still a "regrettable number" of naked ballots that are only discovered on election day when the envelopes are opened. Those ballots are voided.

How about write-ins? Registrar  Commini said there were a staggering number of 9,400 write-ins, but only 593 were legitimate. There were 114 ties, mostly in races for judges of election and other elections workers. Those ties will be decided by a casting of the lots on Friday. 

Were there problems with the machines on election day? Commini reported that one precinct in Forks was supplied with an additional voting machine because of long lines. At Gracedale, a machine broke down and a replacement was provided. In a Lower Saucon precinct with three machines, one machine had a broken interior cable, but the judge of elections said he could make do with two. In Lehigh Tp, one precinct experienced a power outage, but machines were able to operate on battery until power was restored.  

Two problems occurred before election day. One involved MIBs for Easton's West Ward City Council race. The other concerned the voting machine ballot design for cross-filed candidates.  

Easton West Ward's City Council race was between Julie Zando Dennis and Sharbel Koorie. As a result of human error, one voter received the wrong ballot. Commini said he thought this was an "isolated" error but nevertheless took action. He determined that 50 ballots went out to the affected precinct on October 1, the same day wrong ballot was sent. Attempts were made to contact these voters by phone and email. New ballots were sent to these voters as well. 29 voters returned a replacement ballot. 12 voters returned the original ballot. 2 requested to keep original ballot, 3 went to the precinct and voted provisionally or surrendered their ballot to be able to vote on the machine. 4 did not return the ballot or vote in person. 

I have previously written about the ballot design on voting machines for cross-filed candidates, who are listed only under one party. This differs from the design on write-in ballots. President Judge Craig Dally has concluded that the ballot design as it appeared on the voting machine is legal, but Commini and Vargo were both questioned about the possibility of making the voting machine ballot identical to what appears on the mail-in ballot, which makes no party differentiation. Both said they would need to discuss this possibility with the voting machine vendor.   

Elections Comm'r Scott Hough complained that the county refused to schedule a "special meeting" the day before the election, which Solicitor Vargo told him was logistically impossible. It was, after all, the day before the election. But Hough said that when things go south, as they sometimes do, it is the elections commission that gets scapegoated. 

He also found it odd that the elections office refused to allow him and another Commissioner to view the machine ballot on the machine, especially when their signatures are on the ballot. He and other members agreed the elections commission needs to have more than four scheduled meetings a year and should be able to review the ballot before it becomes official. 

Before the meeting ended, Commini expressed his thanks to his Deputy, Amy Hess, who has been a steady hand in years of elections. He appreciates his staff, who actually conduct four elections in one cycle (MIBs, ballot by demand, precent voting and satellite offices). He was also grateful to employees in other departments, from maintenance to court administration, as well as retirees. 

Though there are bumps in the road in nearly every election, especially municipal races, this was about as good as it gets. 

NorCo Elections Comm's to Meet November 18, 3 PM

Acting Administrator Michael Colon announced at last night's meeting of NorCo Council that the Elections Commission will meet on Tuesday, November 18, 3 pm, in County Council chambers. Since they are meeting in Council chambers, it will hopefully be available on YouTube. At that meeting, Elections Registrar Chris Commini will give his report on the most recent election. 

Colon did discuss a few problems encountered in the days leading up to the election.

In Easton City Council race for District Two, a voter received a mail-in ballot for another district. The elections office nullified the ballot and provided this voter with the correct ballot. It also reached out to the 48 people in that district who received ballots that day (by email, phone or call) to give them the option to get new ballots and have the ballot sent nullified. These votes will be segregated and counted separately. It should be noted that even if all of them received the wrong ballot, it makes no difference because the winner, Julie Zando-Dennis, won by over 300 votes. 

Colon also addressed the machine ballots for school district candidates who were cross-filed, who are only listed once and only on the Democratic side of the ballot. (The cross-filed candidate appears on the side of the Governor's party He noted this change was made necessary by the 2019 changes to the Election Code. I believe this interpretation of the Election Code is incorrect, but the President Judge has a different view. His opinion matters a bit more than that of a dumpster-diving blogger. 

Finally, Colon addressed the situation in which two elections commissioners asked to see Executive Lamont McClure to view the physical machine. One of these Comm'rs, Scott Hough, said that McClure walked out without even acknowledging them. But Colon told County Council that McClure simply was unaware at the time he left that the Commissioners were there to see him. 

Colon also said that the request for an elections commission meeting on the day before the election was simply impossible as the Registrar is busy that day.  

PJ Craig Dally Denies Ballot Challenges Filed by Cross-Filed Nazareth Area School Board Candidates

In a well-considered Opinion and Order issued yesterday, President Judge Craig A Dally denied petitions to correct ballot errors filed by Nazareth Area School Board candidates Wendy Whiteash and Linda Stubits. Both had cross-filed and expected to see their names listed under both parties, which is precisely how cross-filed candidates appeared on a ballot prior to the massage changes to the Election Code enacted in 2019. Instead, they were listed only once, as "Democratic/Republican," on the Democratic side of the ballot. They were listed on the Democratic side because cross-filed candidates are listed under the party of the Governor in office. Both are Republicans, and they argued that the way they were listed would discourage partisan Republicans from voting for them. Both candidates, incidentally, won their election on Tuesday. 

Though they acted pro se, Judge Dally notified the county of their concerns and conducted a two-hour hearing on Friday. Although he acknowledged that he has the authority to issue an Order to correct a "mistake or omission" in a ballot, he noted that he is also bound by strict rules of statutory interpretation that prevent a judge from disregarding the letter of the law under the pretext of "pursuing its spirit." He then went on to point out that the current Election Code provides that, for cross-filed candidates, "[t]heir name shall be printed once."

In a footnote, Judge Dally observes that the 2019 changes to the Election Code under Act 77 were the very same that instituted mail-in balloting as well as the elimination of straight party voting. He concludes this change "effectively eliminated the requirement to list cross-filed candidates on both sides of the ballot as voters could no longer vote for candidates only from one of the parties with a single mark or act." He also pointed out that Act 77 was challenged and upheld by the state supreme court. 

In addition, Judge Dally contends that this is matter that should have been brought to the Elections Commission. He received no evidence that the Elections Commission failed to properly review the ballot before the election.

I very much appreciate the time Judge Dally took to weigh these concerns, although I disagree with his conclusions. It is true that Act 77 provides that the name of a cross-filed candidate shall be listed once, but it never states that the name shall be listed "only" once. The conclusion that the name shall be published only once is itself a matter of statutory interpretation that goes beyond the language of the statute. 

It's also true that Act 77 eliminated straight party voting, but even if a candidate is listed under both sides as a Democrat and as a Republican, it is still impossible to vote straight party. This double -labeling just prevents voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Democratic Governor is actually a Democrat. It also would prevent voters from thinking that a cross-filed candidate whose name is listed under a Republican Governor is actually a Republican. 

I am aware that Act 77 has been upheld, but not on this issue. 

I'd agree that the Elections Commission would be the proper venue for this challenge in the first instance. But unfortunately, the Court was never presented with evidence that the Elections Commission was itself never provided with an opportunity to review the ballot. 

Finally, I'd contend, under Judge Dally's interpretation of Act 77, it violates the Pa Constitution requirement that all elections be "free and fair." There is nothing fair about penalizing a cross-filed ballot by restricting her to one side of the ballot. But unfortunately, courts have no authority to raise constitutional issues on their own and operate from a presumption that all statutes are constitutional. 

I'd hope that the state legislature revises Act 77 or that the language be challenged in a future action in which the courts and parties have more time to consider all issues. 

PJ Craig Dally Denies Petition to Correct Ballot Challenge Filed by Wendy Whiteash by BernieOHare

Unofficial Election Results - Dems Sweep Northampton County Races!

All Democrats running for county seats in Northampton County have prevailed. This is what the unofficial election results show as of about 10 pm on election night. There were 61,339 in-person votes and 28,587 provisional ballots cast, and turnout was 39.2%, substantially higher than the 32.5% turnout in the municipal election four years ago. This Democratic victory mirrors what has happened in New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia and New York City. Democrats have kept their majority on the Pa. Supreme Court as well. Though this is a municipal election, appears to be an indication that voters are unhappy with the course changes made by Republicans and Donald Trump on a national level.

It's a pretty clear message to Trump even though his name appeared on no ballots. Voters appear to be concerned about his expansion of executive power. They support the removal of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, but do not support the tactics used by the cowboys with ICE against people who might be here illegally but are working hard.  They appear to be uneasy about the federal government shutdown, which has led to a suspension of SNAP.  They appear to be unhappy about the state shutdown, which has made it more difficult for Pennsylvanians with limited incomes to get to and from work. Ironically, this Democratic victory comes despite a recent poll reporting that 68% of Americans saying that Democrats are "out of touch." 

In NorCo, it was an uneventful race. Yes, there were some problems with mail-in ballots for one Easton City Council race. Yes, there is an unresolved dispute over the ballot configuration for cross-filed candidates. But the election itself ran very smoothly. I received only one complaint about the machines throughout the day. The complete results were posted online by 10:30 pm, which might be a county record. 

The top vote getter was Democrat Jeremy Clark, who handily defeated Republican James Fuller in the race for judge with 59.7% of the vote. This makes sense because Clark actually practices law in this county and ran a campaign. Fuller practices in Monroe County and was basically invisible

Democrat Tara Zrinski easily beat Republican Tom Giovanni in the Executive contest with 59.03% of the total vote. Zrinski is a seasoned campaigner who was actually able to raise money. This has previously been her downfall. Giovanni, who is admired and respected by both Democrats and Republicans who know him, failed to raise the money needed to reach voters. He also declined to debate Zrinski, which would have helped voters learn more about him. 

The Democratic sweep of the County Council races was a shock to me, as I expected John Goffredo and Sam Elias to win. Although the Lamont McClure faction of the Democratic party tried to squeeze Lori Vargo Heffner out, she was the top vote getter (48,658 votes), followed by former Gracedale administrator Dave Holland, Wind Gap Borough Council member Jason Boulette, Hellertown's Theresa Fadem won, despite doing nothing. Nadeem Qayyum came in fifth, even though he is a Democratic socialist and will no doubt try to pursue the same agenda his wife, Taiba Sultana, pushed in Easton.. 

Republican Sam Elias ran a great campaign but was still 9,000 votes behind the 5th place Dem. Incumbent Council members John Brown and John Goffredo decided to raise no money. That was a mistake. Both were defeated in their bid for re-election. 

The votes are still unofficial. I expect formal canvassing of the vote later this week and next week, at which time provisional ballots will be counted if valid. 

Democrats now will have a 8-1 advantage in NorCo Council in 2026, which should be smooth sailing for Executive Zrinski. 

In the only disputed Easton City Council race, Democrat Julie Zando-Dennis beat Republican Sharbel Koorie, 705 to 384. So even if 48 MIBs were improperly sent, which the elections office concedes is possible, it makes no difference. 

In the Nazareth School Board race, Linda Stubits and Wendy Whiteash won seats despite the way their ballots were configured as cross-filed candidates. 

Despite what appears to have been a blue wave as the pendulum swings from red to blue, there were Republican victories. Republican Rob Kemmerer defeated Democrat Ellen Kingsley in the Wind Gap area race for magisterial district judge with nearly 60% of the vote. Kemmerer is a former probation officer and had the support of many Democrats. 

In heavily Republican areas of the slate belt and northern tier, Republicans still won. Republican Janet Sheats defeated Democrat James Barnes for Supervisor.  Jonathan Erler beat Democrat Courtney Gilmour in Upper Mount Bethel. 

Judges Sam Murray and Paula Roscioli were easily retained.

NorCo's Mail-In Ballot Tally As Of 8:22 PM

The mail-in ballots are going predominately to Democrats. This will change as the returns come in from the precincts for those who voted in person. There were 28,587 MIBs counted (not including those being brought in from drop boxes today. 

Judge: Jeremy Clark has 21,346 votes to 6,802 for James Fuller in the judge contest, giving him 75.79% of the vote.

Executive: Tara Zrinski has 21,111 votes to 6.997 for Tom Giovanni, giving her a 75.06% of the total.

County Council: Democrats lead in the race for five seats. Dave Holland - 20,154, Lori Vargo Heffner - 19,986; Theresa Fadem - 19,348;  Jason Boulette - 19,245; and Nadeem Qayyum - 17.684. 

Magisterial District Judge: Ellen Kingsley is leading Robert Kemmerer, 1,375 to 924. 

UPDATED 9:45 pm: In the last Executive race, there were 22,672 MIBs total and 48,526 votes on election day. Total turnout was 32.50%. So far, the turnout this year is 31.7%. That figure should climb. 

As of 9:32 pm, with 29.7% of the precincts reporting, the Democratic lead is beginning to shrink but still holds strong in most races. Republican Bob Kemmerer has overtaken Ellen Kingsley in the Wind Gap area MDJ race. 

UPDATED: Any Problems at the Polls?

The turnout in this year's municipal race is expected to be light. This post exists so that you can report any problems you experience when voting in person. If you have any problems with the machines, or notice that machines are not operating properly, please share that information, stating both the location and time of your problem. If you experience improper influence inside the polling place, please share. Hopefully, all goes well. 

1:20 PM UPDATE: So far, reports have been positive. One Easton voter called me to state that she used the machine to select 4 of the 5 Democrats running for County Council, excepting Nadeem Qayyum. But when she prepared to cast her ballot, she noticed the light for the Republican candidate (Juan Martinez) on the opposite side of Nadeem was lit up. She went back and eventually got it right but is concerned that other voters may not notice this issue. She wonders if the machine gets glitchy when it gets moved. She contacted the elections office. 

4:30 PM UPDATE: I have visited five precincts in my area and have been told turnout is good for an off-year election. Nobody reported any trouble with the machines. Moreover, there have been no complaints in court of which I am aware. 

NorCo Elections Comm'rs Rebuffed in Attempt to Call Special Meeting Over Ballot Issues or Even Examine Ballot

In response to ballot issues that have arisen over mail-in ballots (MIBs) in an Easton City Council race and the ballot itself in school board races, all five members of the NorCo Elections Comm'n last week requested a special meeting for Monday. On Friday, they were advised that elections officials were too busy to conduct a meeting on the day before the election.

Yesterday, Elections Comm's Scott Hough and Julie Geissinger visited the elections office anyway and asked to see the machine ballot for the Nazareth Area School Board races. They were refused by Elections Registrar Chris Commini, but claim they were told the ballot would be made available if Executive Lamont McClure approved.

They went to his office and told the receptionist why they were there. Instead of meeting with them, Elections Comm'r Scott Hough claims McClure just walked out without acknowledging them. 

Under the Election Code, Elections Commissioners have an obligation to ensure that all ballots are accurately printed. (25 P.S. 2969). They also have the duty to "inspect systematically and thoroughly the conduct of primaries and elections in the several election districts of the county to the end that primaries and elections may be honestly, efficiently, and uniformly conducted." (25 P.S. 2642(g)). It appears they have been stopped from exercising their statutorily mandated duties. Moreover, all members of the public - not just elections commissioners - have the right to inspect the ballots (25 P.S. 2968).