All polling places to be open Election Day across Westmoreland County; crush of mail-in ballots expected

All 307 polling locations across Westmoreland County will be open for in-person voting in the November general election, county commissioners said.

“We want to give people the option to use our new machines. They are still brand new, and we’re still paying for them,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

Commissioners were expected Wednesday to address potential changes in how the county will execute what is expected to be a high-turnout election amid an ongoing pandemic. The three members paused, however, implementing any changes out of concern over a lawsuit before the state Supreme Court challenging Pennsylvania’s new vote-by-mail system used for the first time last spring.

Melissa Guiddy, the county’s solicitor, said the lawsuit — which seeks to halt the use of drop boxes linked to allegations that the mail-in voting system could be the subject of fraud — has indefinitely put on hold county plans to assist voters in turning in completed ballots.

Those plans could include installing drop boxes throughout the county at local government buildings and other locations in an effort to make voters more comfortable about turning in completed ballots rather than relying on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver the mail on time to the courthouse.

“A lot of constituents are nervous about mailing in ballots, so to have that option (for drop boxes) would be good,” said Commissioner Gina Cerilli.

The county had one drop box in the courthouse lobby for the spring primary. The pending lawsuit could sideline that option as well, officials said. Voters will still be able to turn in mail-in ballots in person at the elections bureau office.

Donald Trump’s campaign originally filed a lawsuit in federal court but last weekend a U.S. District judge in Pittsburgh put the case on hold to allow the state’s courts to first rule on the claims challenging Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting system.

Commissioners said there are no plans to consolidate or limit the number of physical voting locations on Nov. 3. The county paid $7 million last year to buy new touch screen voting machines that print out completed ballots that voters digitally scan at polling locations.

Because all precincts will be open on Election Day, commissioners said there is no need to send out mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters, as is being done in Allegheny County.

Westmoreland officials are bracing for a massive turnout, as many voters will cast ballots at home rather than at the polls. About half of the more than 80,000 votes cast in the spring primary were by mail. As of Wednesday, more than 20,000 applications for mail-in ballots have been processed in the county. As many as 100,000 ballots could be mailed in this fall, Elections Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said.

Commissioners, acting as the county’s elections board, on Wednesday delayed approving a contract with a private mail processing firm to take over distribution of ballots this fall. The county received proposal from four companies to mail out ballots to voters, once applications are processed by the elections bureau, and store unopened votes until they are counted at the courthouse.

“Storage is a problem. We don’t have enough space in this building any more. We want one location and one place where these ballots are kept,” Kertes said.

Proposals ranged from $1.71 to $1.90 for each ballot mailed out to voters. A contract could be awarded at a special meeting next week, commissioners said.

Meanwhile, county officials continue to prepare for the stretch drive of the election season.

Sebastiani said it is yet to be determined when ballots will be mailed out to voters who apply. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 27. All completed ballots must be returned to the courthouse by Election Day.