Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Police chiefs foresee peaceful day
Voters likely won’t encounter any violence today, they say
WEST CHESTER » Today marks four years since citizens last voted at the polls in the race for an American presidency.
Election Day, again invites citizens registered to vote to do so at their respective polling places from 7 a. m. to 8 p. m. in Chester County.
Yet across social media there are reports of voter intimidation, from all sides, underway.
And in 2020 — a year commonly cited as one in which “anything can happen” — community safety is paramount for officials, especially local law enforcement.
In West Chester, Chief of Police
James Morehead said his department will have extra police officers available today.
“We expect the day to be calm and go smoothly. The West Chester area continues to be a model,” Morehead said.
Morehead said several Chester County regional chiefs communicate regularly. He’s also been working closely with the Chester
County District Attorney’s Office and the Chester County Department of Emergency Services.
He said there have been a few minor incidents, such as political disagreements, reported to police, “but nothing violent.”
As for safety tips for people voting on Election Day, Morehead advised people to be aware of what is going on around them, “same as any other day.”
Morehead said the West Chester Police Department has received no tips that violence may occur on Election Day and anticipates no unrest.
Chief Gerald Simpson of the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department, which oversees New Garden, Avondale and West Grove, said there will be extra officers on duty today.
Monday, Simpson said there have been no reports or threats of violence stemming from political disagreements locally.
No violence is anticipated on Election Day in Southeastern Chester County, nor elsewhere in the region.
“Exercise your civic duties while trying not to get caught up in the vitriol political atmosphere — this too shall pass,” Simpson said.
“Specifically in the City of Coatesville, we have no intelligence information that indicates any planned protests or disturbances that will interfere with free and fair elections,” said Chief John Laufer of the City of Coatesville Police Department.
“We encourage all citizens of the Commonwealth to get out and exercise their right to vote, the city chief added.
‘ Liberty, forever!’
Samuel Adams declared, “Liberty, forever!” He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and his brother, and nephew, both were elected American presidents. All were abolitionists.
“It bears repeating that the right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy,” said Richard Bingham, chairman of the Chester County Democratic Committee, on Monday. “We don’t expect problems tomorrow except possibly slow lines.”
He said there are contingency plans set on Election Day in case any voter intimidation does occur.
“My advice is respect everybody else,” Bingham stated.
“Government’s most sacred duty is to safeguard life, liberty, and property,” said Gordon Eck, chairman of the Chester County Republican Committee.
“This fundamental obligation is on the ballot today as unjustified shutdowns and reluctance to quell violence threaten our security and our very way of life, most notably the poor, middle class, and small business owners,” Eck said Monday.
Ready to roll
As previously reported, Chester County officials have coordinated a law enforcement response should there be reports of voter intimidation or suppression
at the polling places, as reports have surfaced nationally of possible instances where armed people could appear at precincts.
“We are working with all agencies to make sure the integrity of the election process is upheld,” Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said. “If there is evidence of any type of voter intimidation or suppression, law enforcement will be dispatched to assist,” at the polls.
Local police are prohibited from acting as polling place security; those responsibilities are up to local Judges of Elections and appointed constables, Ryan said.
“A police officer is allowed to vote but otherwise must stay away from polling places unless called for an emergency by law,” noted Morehead, West Chester’s chief of police.
Historic moment
In- person turnout at the polling places in Chester County, while expected to be significant, shall likely be substantially less than the last presidential election in 2016. That’s thanks to the new option for voters to use mail- in ballots and the large number of county voters who chose to do so.
Of the 380,388 registered
voters in the county, 172,541 — or 45 percent of the total number of eligible voters — were sent mail- in or absentee ballots starting in September. As of Monday, county election officials said that about 80 percent of those — or 138,711 ballots — had been returned to the county Office of Voter Services, which will begin processing and counting them at 7 a. m. on Tuesday.
That means that 207,847 — give or take — registered voters would be eligible for in- person voting on Tuesday. Individuals who have mail- in ballots but who have not returned them to Voter Services may do so at one of the drop- box locations in the county up until 8 p. m. Tuesday, or bring the ballots with them to their precincts and vote in- person.
There were 354,459 registered voters in the county in November 2016, and more than three- quarters of them — 77.5 percent, or 274,877 voters — appeared at the 228 polling places to vote. If one assumes that size of a turnout on Tuesday, that means that slightly more than 161,000 voters could cast their ballots at a polling place.
Regional leadership
Elsewhere across the
Philly region in Media, during a press conference with a strong presence of law enforcement personnel, Delaware County First Assistant District Attorney Tanner Rouse on Friday encouraged Pennsylvanians to let police do their jobs on Election Day and warned against interference at the polls.
“Here, we are a community,” Rouse said. “When we disagree we do respectfully, we do so peacefully, and have done so and will continue to do so in a way that does not tear at the fabric of who we are, it does not affect the kinship that we feel for one another.”
Rouse said people should feel comfortable going out to vote Tuesday. Those who want to loudly and proudly pledge their support for their chosen candidates are free, as always, to do so a legally designated 10 feet from the polling location.
He urged that any problems at polling locations should first be taken up with poll watchers or the judges of election for that precinct.
“We’re gathering intelligence on any and all voter intimidation processes that we can find,” he said. “We’ve found nothing of any strong nature at this point, so that’s good.”
Key resources
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the U. S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D. C. by phone at 800- 253- 3931 or by complaint form at https:// civilrights. justice. gov.
In the Commonwealth, voters may call the PA Voter Hotline at 1- 877- VOTESPA ( 1- 877- 868- 3772) on Tuesday. The hotline is manned by the Pennsylvania Department of State and will provide any assistance to voters who call.