Pittston won’t allow library to host drop box

Luzerne County has lost another mail ballot drop box site because the City of Pittston informed the county Election Board Tuesday that it won’t allow the Pittston Memorial Library to host one.

The Wright Township Volunteer Fire Department notified the board last month its fire station won’t be hosting a drop box in future county elections.

Unless replacement sites are secured, the county is left with drop boxes at Misericordia University in Dallas and two county-owned properties — Penn Place in downtown Wilkes-Barre and the Broad Street Exchange in downtown Hazleton.

Pittston City Administrator Joseph Moskovitz sent an email to election board members indicating the city is terminating use of the city-owned Pittston Memorial Library for a drop box due to “potential litigation costs and exposure to our taxpayers.”

“The city regrets having to take this action as this is not meant to represent the city administration’s position for or against ‘drop boxes,’” Moskovitz wrote.

Pittston already has incurred costs for legal representation due to a Right to Know challenge submitted by a citizen, he wrote. The exposure placed on the city by the drop box is “unacceptable” and has prompted city officials to prohibit drop boxes on city property in future elections, he said.

“The city administration cannot in good conscience expose our taxpayers to unknown liabilities in permitting the use of the drop box on city property,” his email said, adding that the city hopes the county and election board “can address the issues that are continuing to challenge our election system.”

The city administration might reconsider the drop box decision if the election board took action to “hold the city harmless,” he added.

It’s unclear what county approval would be necessary to provide such a protection, but it is unlikely the administration would be willing to take on the additional legal responsibilities and liability exposure. In addition, most council members have publicly stated they are not supportive of drop boxes authorized by a majority of the citizen election board.

In Wright Township, township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dave Pettit had said his department decided in November it will no longer host a drop box due to “space constraints and operational changes.” Another factor was the possibility of a municipal restriction on drop boxes, he said.

Wright Township supervisors unanimously voted Dec. 28 to approve a resolution asking the state legislature to revise state laws to prohibit no-excuse mail voting and drop boxes.

A number of municipalities in the county have passed resolutions opposing drop boxes, and more are expected.

County Election Board Chairwoman Denise Williams, a supporter of drop boxes, said Tuesday she is personally grateful the Pittston Memorial Library had agreed to provide the service.

“I’d like to thank them for volunteering to host a box in the last four elections. It was a more active drop box site, and I’m sure voters really appreciated it was available,” Williams said.

Election Board member Alyssa Fusaro has vehemently opposed drop boxes because they are not monitored by a person able to intervene if voters are attempting to deposit more than their own ballot without a required authorization form.

She believes the efforts of a growing number of municipalities to publicly come out against drop boxes shows they “don’t feel they’re a safe way of casting votes.”