Luzerne County Election Board makes electronic poll book recommendation

Luzerne County’s five-citizen Election Board unanimously voted in support of electronic poll books from Knowink.

The county administration requested the board’s input Wednesday to assist in county Manager Romilda Crocamo’s ongoing evaluation of proposed equipment from Knowink or Elections Systems & Software.

Used for voter sign-in at polling places, the electronic poll books also instantly allow poll workers to search data for voters in the wrong polling place and streamline the process of crediting voters for casting ballots in the state’s voter database.

A county panel interviewed both companies Tuesday. Crocamo said Thursday she is awaiting a report summarizing the administration’s assessment. She also has scheduled a Friday meeting with county Councilman Stephen J. Urban, who works in information technology, to discuss technological challenges that each system presents.

Council also must vote on the purchase.

While the administration was hopeful new devices could be in place for the Nov. 7 general election, Crocamo has said she won’t sacrifice essential steps just to make that happen. If necessary, the county would use paper poll books for voter sign-in during the general election.

County Administrative Services Division Head Jennifer Pecora said all preliminary information gathered through interviews, reference checks and the demonstration so far revealed the two systems have similar pricing and are “weighing up very close.”

Based on their observations and research to date, all five election board members said they would prefer the Knowink system.

Board Vice Chairman James Mangan said he participated in the interviews and strongly urges the administration and council to consider the Knowink devices.

He added both vendors were “extremely knowledgeable” and had a thorough understanding of the county’s needs.

Board member Audrey Serniak also sat in on the interviews and attended the demonstration and said the systems are “very close,” but she is leaning toward the Knowink one.

Serniak said she would love to see new poll books in place in the upcoming general election but agrees a decision should not be rushed.

“We’re going to be living with it for several years, and we really have to make the right decision,” she said.

Board members Alyssa Fusaro, Daniel Schramm and Chairwoman Denise Williams also attended the demonstration and favor the Knowink devices.

The county purchased the current electronic poll books for $325,000 in 2018 from Election Systems & Software, but county officials said the devices are outdated and cannot be used in the Nov. 7 general election due to battery problems and other issues that surfaced in the May 16 primary election.

The county has 186 voting precincts and sought pricing for 220 poll books. The submitted prices were $431,290 from Election Systems & Software and $437,300 from Knowink.

Funding will be available for poll books through the upcoming second annual Pennsylvania Election Integrity Grant, officials said.