One of Luzerne County’s electronic voting machines is seen being demonstrated last fall in this file photo. County officials have vowed to do their best to pull off a problem-free election next month by methodically staying on top of preparations.
                                 Times Leader file photo

One of Luzerne County’s electronic voting machines is seen being demonstrated last fall in this file photo. County officials have vowed to do their best to pull off a problem-free election next month by methodically staying on top of preparations.

Times Leader file photo

It’s crunch time for the Nov. 2 general election, and Luzerne County’s administration expressed confidence it will be ready.

“We have a very good team. We have an energized team. We have a very focused team,” county Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo told the county’s volunteer citizen Election Board at its meeting Friday night.

Both the administration and board have vowed to do their best to pull off a problem-free election by methodically staying on top of preparations.

The mislabeling of county Republican ballots as Democratic ones in the May 18 primary was the latest in an ongoing series of problems that have prompted complaints from voters. Some of these issues — poll worker shortages, staff turnover and adjusting to new voting machines and mail ballots — are problems elsewhere.

Crocamo retained consulting company The Elections Group to assist in “overseeing a well-run election” on Nov. 2. While some county officials questioned the $70,000 expense, Crocamo said the expert guidance was warranted and that the election bureau is understaffed.

Staffing challenges were exacerbated by the recent resignations of two managers involved in elections. County Administrative Services Division Head David Parsnik abruptly resigned Sept. 26 and declined to discuss a reason. Meanwhile, Bob Morgan wrapped up his last day as election director Friday because he is pursuing another career opportunity. County Human Resources Director Angela Gavlick is serving as interim division head, and Eryn Harvey remains in place as deputy election director.

Crocamo told the board the consultant and management workers involved in elections have been meeting every morning to review tasks that must be completed and then regrouping at the end of each day to check progress.

The Elections Group developed a detailed and extensive project calendar so no tasks or deadlines are missed, Crocamo said.

A spreadsheet with vital information about poll workers and polling places is under development, she said.

The consultant also helped the bureau set up a mass communication program that will send poll workers important messages on Election Day — something that would have saved hours of time and aggravation during the primary election ballot mislabeling discovery, when the county had to individually contact officials at each poll, officials have said.

Harvey said the consultant also revamped the county’s outdated poll worker training guide — a task the bureau did not have the time or resources to tackle.

“I’m very impressed with them. They’re big help to the office especially when we’re down a couple of people,” Harvey said during Friday’s meeting.

Crocamo informed the board she also has started bringing in small groups of employees from other county departments to help the bureau with logistics, phone calls, ballot proofreading and some data entry.

Election Day poll worker shortages remain, Harvey said.

Harvey is compiling a list of vacancies at polling places that should be completed this week. The bureau is trying to drum up interest among retirees by hanging up poll worker vacancy notices at active adult centers and also has been posting about the need for workers on social media, she said.

“Like every election, it seems poll workers are difficult to find, so that’s still a work in progress,” Harvey told the board.

Poll workers receive $195 to work Election Day in addition to $20 for training, she said. Two people can sign up together to work a split shift as long as they are confident the partner on the afternoon shift will show up, Harvey said.

Poll workers must be registered voters in the county, and training will be provided. Information is available on the election page at luzernecounty.org.

“We will get you trained so that you know what you’re doing. We won’t feed you to the wolves,” Harvey said.

Board Chairwoman Denise Williams described poll workers as “hometown heroes.”

Nov. 2 ballot

Harvey said she plans to publicly post sample ballots on the county election site this week to help voters become familiar with the choices before them.

On Friday, the county Election Board approved a list of candidates that is now posted on the county site.

Before accepting the list, board Vice Chairman Richard Nardone asked what checking has been performed to ensure the list is accurate.

Harvey said she prepared the list based on the primary election winners — including write-in nominees — and that approximately 20 others have been involved in proofing. Crocamo told Nardone rotating teams have been independently checking.

Williams said she appreciates and understands the effort to perform multiple checks because the bureau is “under the microscope.”

Registration

Residents interested in voting Nov. 2 have until Oct. 18 to register.

An application link is posted on the county election page.

As of Oct. 4, the county had 202,311 registered voters — 95,230 Democrats, 81,190 Republicans and 25,891 with other or no affiliations.

Mail ballots

Approximately 20,000 county voters have requested mail ballots for the general election, and the county will start sending out ballots by the end of this week, Harvey said.

The deadline to apply for mail ballots is 5 p.m. on Oct. 26, or a week before the general, although state and county officials urge interested voters to act sooner if possible.

Mail ballots must be received in the county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Information on mail ballot drop box hours and locations will be released soon, officials said. The county also is finalizing details on a temporary on-the-spot voting option that will allow voters to request, receive and cast a mail ballot at the election bureau in Wilkes-Barre in one visit.

As a reminder, mail voters receive instructions, a ballot, an unmarked white secrecy envelope and an outer envelope that contains the voter’s name and a label with a bar code that, when scanned, identifies that voter in the state’s database.

After filling out the ballot, voters must place it in the secrecy envelope, seal it and then put that envelope inside the one with the label/barcode to be returned to the county.

Ballots won’t be counted if voters fail to enclose them in both envelopes or forget to sign and date the outer envelope.

Harvey cautioned some voters have been incorrectly using their birth dates instead of the date they signed the ballot.

During processing, secrecy envelopes are shuffled as a way to prevent the linking of ballots to specific individuals.

Disabled voters can complete a form at votespa.com designating a third party to deliver the ballot on their behalf. Otherwise, voters must return only their own ballots under state law.

In-person voting

Most primary election polling places will be used again in the upcoming general.

Harvey told the election board she will have confirmation the end of this week on two or three sites that may have to be switched.

All changes and final polling locations will be publicly announced.

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