Westmoreland waiting on Gov. Wolf's reopen orders before changing election precincts

Some voting precincts in Westmoreland County might have to be consolidated should the state’s stay-at-home order remain in place for the June 2 primary, the county’s elections bureau director said.

County officials will look to relocate or consolidate precincts slated for local school buildings, churches and senior living centers if they won’t be available for the primary because of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, director Beth Lechman said.

“We want to have a decision by May 8,” Lechman said.

Gov. Tom Wolf said he will announce this week the first counties where his stay-at-home orders are to be lifted effective May 8. Lechman said that if Westmoreland County is included among those, there won’t be a need to consolidate more than 300 voting precincts.

Allegheny County Board of Elections last week voted to consolidate 85% of its 1,300 voting precincts to reduce the number of poll workers needed to staff the election. Allegheny officials previously sent mail-in ballot applications to every registered voter in the county eligible to vote June 2.

Lechman said she believes enough poll workers are available in Westmoreland County to staff precincts for a primary that has few contested races.

The deadline to apply for mail-in ballots is May 26. The county has so far received more than 23,000 applications, Lechman said.