Luzerne County won’t have mail ballot drop boxes in Nov. 5 general election

Luzerne County won't have any mail ballot drop boxes in the Nov. 5 general election, county Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Wednesday.

"While I recognize that drop boxes can provide alternative means for voters to cast their ballots, I must prioritize the safety and security of our community in the current political climate," Crocamo said.

The county had been providing four drop boxes for mail ballot voters.

Crocamo cited recent notices about security issues from the Pennsylvania Department of State as a primary reason she will not deploy drop boxes or direct any county personnel to perform the work involved in providing drop boxes, including box delivery, setting up security camera surveillance and collecting deposited ballots.

The boxes were in the Wright Manor senior living facility in Mountain Top, Misericordia University's Passan Hall in Dallas and two county-owned properties — the Broad Street Exchange in Hazleton and Penn Place Building in Wilkes-Barre.

According to Crocamo's statement:

She visited the Wright Manor site Tuesday with county Chief Solicitor Harry W. Skene to personally assess the location, which is owned by the Luzerne County Housing Authority.

"Although the venue is attractive, the drop box is situated in a vestibule with an outer door that remains open 24 hours a day. Furthermore, there is no personnel stationed nearby to monitor the second entry door that requires a passcode," Crocamo said.

"This lack of oversight raises significant concerns about the potential for unauthorized access and misuse."

Similarly, the doors at the Misericordia site "remain open late into the evening, posing additional risks," she wrote.

The Broad Street Exchange in downtown Hazleton also remains accessible to the public late at night due to its tenants, which "further complicates the security of any drop box placed there," Crocamo wrote.

At Penn Place, the box could have been set up in the main lobby, instead of the vestibule, to require voters to pass through a metal detector, but "the glass layout of the building presents its own challenges," Crocamo said.

Crocamo said she also is "particularly concerned about the potential for illegal activities, such as individuals depositing multiple ballots."

"Although video surveillance may seem like a solution, it is not a foolproof means of ensuring compliance with voting laws," Crocamo said.

Although there won't be drop boxes, Crocamo said mail ballot voters will have the option to bring their ballots directly to the election bureau on the second floor of the Penn Place Building on the corner of Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, saying election workers will be able to monitor the number of ballots being submitted.

The financial implications of deploying drop boxes also weighed heavily on Crocamo's decision, she said. The current insurance policy for these boxes offers a "mere" $10,000 limit, "exposing the county to significant financial risk in the event of any incidents," she said.

Crocamo noted she briefed county Election Board Chairwoman Denise Williams about her plan, and Williams concurred. Crocamo said she hopes other election board members also will agree.

"In conclusion, I believe this decision is in the best interest of our community," Crocamo wrote. "I appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate these complex issues during these complex times. Together, we can ensure a safe and secure voting experience for all."

Crocamo's decision negates the need for the two outside entities that have hosted the drop boxes at Wright Manor and Misericordia University to determine whether they would continue that public service for the Nov. 5 general election. Skene had recently informed both sites that they would have to hold the county harmless for "anything that happens relating to the drop box" for the Nov. 5 general election.

Skene's memo had said the county cannot secure boxes on non-county property. For the boxes to be in use for the general election, the entities must sign agreements accepting full responsibility for "providing whatever it takes to secure the drop box and protect the public," it said.

Oct. 22 is the deadline to issue requested mail ballots for the Nov. 5 general election, but county officials aim to send them out sooner so voters have ample time to receive, complete and return them by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The ballots must be physically in the bureau by that deadline because postmarks do not count.

Drop boxes have been a polarizing issue, consuming many hours of debate at election board meetings.

Critics have argued the boxes must be manned to ensure voters have authority if they bring in more than one ballot, but county officials have said the county does not have manpower to station sheriff deputies or other staff at each box.

Advocates have pointed out mail ballots sometimes arrive too late to return them through regular mail or that some voters have more confidence their ballot will get to the election bureau through a drop box.

Video surveillance was suggested as a partial solution, but the county recently learned none of the video surveillance of the Wright Manor drop box was available from the April 23 primary election, largely due to a miscommunication about the duration footage could be preserved before it was automatically overwritten, officials said.

Under Pennsylvania law, voters must return their own ballots. The only exceptions are for disabled voters who complete a designated agent form to have someone deliver a ballot on their behalf. A person serving as a designated agent is only permitted to serve as an agent for one voter unless the additional voters live in the same household, such as an elderly couple.

County Council Chairman John Lombardo said he is happy Crocamo is "taking the necessary steps to secure our elections by administratively banning drop boxes."

"These boxes pose a number of concerns, both related to safety and the potential for fraud. This has been a topic of conversation for some time, with even the Dept. of State releasing information about potential security concerns, and I am glad to see our administration is taking these matters seriously," Lombardo said.

The Department of State sent a communication this week alerting counties of mail containing a suspicious white powder substance received by multiple election offices. An advisory from another agency was not publicly shared due to security issues, some officials said.

Election Board Chairwoman Williams has advocated for drop boxes — a move that subjected her to verbal attacks from critics — but said she understands the decision to halt them over concerns for the safety of the public, voters and ballots, which she said is "paramount."

"To me I don't think there was a choice in this matter," Williams said.

Williams said the key focus in this situation must be voters who have not returned their mail ballots a week before the election. At that point, she recommends voters either take their ballots to the election bureau or vote at the polls because it is highly possible their mail ballots would not reach the bureau through regular mail at that point.

In the April 23 primary election, 190 mail ballots sent through regular mail were not accepted because they arrived in the bureau after the Election Day deadline, Williams said.

To vote at the polls, voters must bring the entire mail ballot packet, including the envelopes, to be voided so they can make their selections on the ballot marking device. Those without a packet could complete a paper provisional ballot at the polls, which is processed during election board adjudication to ensure only one ballot is accepted.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter