Westmoreland County elections office extends hours, will remain open this weekend

With more than 22,000 mail-in ballots outstanding, Westmoreland County will keep its elections bureau office open until 8 p.m. each day through Nov. 3.

The extended hours will start Fridayand continue through Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, including Saturday and Sunday.

“Our concern is making sure every person who needs or wants to vote in Westmoreland County is able to cast a ballot,” said Commissioner Doug Chew. “The issue we’ve had is that there are people who haven’t received a ballot in a timely manner. We want to make sure we give everyone an opportunity to cast a vote.”

The extended hours will enable voters who requested and were approved for a mail-in ballot but have yet to receive one additional options to vote. Voters still awaiting their mail-in ballot can come to the courthouse during the extended hours and be issued a new one. The county’s election call center will remain open until 8 p.m. each day through Election Day.

The county sent more than 75,000 mail-in ballots to voters. As of Friday afternoon, nearly 53,000 ballots were returned via mail or drop boxes at the courthouse or at five regional locations.

The courthouse drop box will remain open until 8 p.m. each night through Election Day. Regional drop boxes will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Westmoreland County Community College on Mellon Road in Murrysville and at the Student Achievement Center on the Westmoreland County Community College main campus near Youngwood.

Boxes will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Westmoreland County Community College building on 5th Avenue in New Kensington; the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe, and the county’s adult probation office on Riverview Drive in Monessen.