Pop, vibration, cause disturbance at Swoyersville polling place

Shortly before the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, voters and poll workers in Swoyersville’s Ward 2 polling place in the borough building heard a pop and felt some vibrating, borough Mayor Chris Concert said.

Nobody was injured, and the three voters inside the polling place were able to finish voting before the building was shut down for an investigation by firefighters and law enforcement, Concert said.

No voters were unable to vote due to the incident, the mayor said. There were no voters in line at that time, and poll workers had paper provisional ballots outside in case any voters arrived before voting ended at 8 p.m., he said.

Data cards and other election materials were securely removed from the building as a precaution, he said.

“The poll workers handled this flawlessly. They really don’t get enough credit,” Concert said.

The problem initially appeared to be located in the roof area of the structure at 675 Main St., and a roof replacement project is underway, he said. However, an investigation found no source of the disturbance, Concert said.

Firefighters from Swoyersville, Kingston and Forty Fort rapidly responded along with police from Swoyersville and Forty Fort, he said.

The borough has three polling places.

Concert said he is relieved all election workers and voters got out OK.

“That is my main concern. Things can be replaced. People can’t,” the mayor said.

County Manager Romilda Crocamo briefed county council by email, describing the incident as an electrical fire that occurred at 7:45 p.m.

All voting was completed, and the voting machine was secured, she said. The county dispatched the county Emergency Management Agency and election bureau personnel to secure and close machines.

“I want to thank the judge of election and poll workers who secured the voting process,” Crocamo wrote.