wolterke / Depositphotos.com
LUZERNE COUNTY, PA (WSAU) – As the city of Wausau continues to discuss the controversy surrounding Mayor Diny’s decision to remove a ballot box outside of city hall that wasn’t properly bolted to the ground, one Pennsylvania county is now facing similar allegations after removing their ballot boxes.
According to the Post Millennial, the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration and Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo are facing a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the non-profit In This Together NEPA and three mail-in ballot voters after she decided to remove four ballot boxes due to not having enough staff available to ensure they could be properly monitored and secured.
The suit alleges that the defendants violated Pennsylvania’s election code, citing that the county’s board of elections “shall have jurisdiction over the conduct of primaries and elections in such county, in accordance with the provisions of [the Election Code].” The four boxes were scheduled to be placed outside in Wilkes Barre, Wright Township, Hazleton, and Dallas.
Crocamo stated that she and residents were concerned about reports from around the country that state that suspicious substances have been placed in boxes and, “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. We don’t have the capability; we don’t have the number of staff members to actually stand by the drop boxes to keep them safe, so I decided I’m not going to deploy them.” She also stated that while video surveillance can help, it doesn’t fit the criteria of “foolproof,” which “means ensuring compliance with voting laws.”
Luzerne County Council Chairman John Lombardo said he’s glad that Crocamo is “taking the necessary steps to secure our elections by administratively banning drop boxes,” and “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.”
The ACLU is also suing Wausau Doug Diny for over alleged “violations of civil rights and liberties,” and Wausau Clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde says the box was “not yet functional” and clearly labeled as “Kiosk Closed,” but still referred to details of the matter to the Portage County District Attorney’s office and Wisconsin Elections Commission for further investigation, citing Wisconsin Statute 7.15(1)(g) that requires the clerk to “report suspected election frauds, irregularities, or violations” to the DA’s office.
Comments