DA debuts election tip line for ballot drop boxes
“Today I want to re assure Montgomery County residents that we will use all means tomake certain we have a safe, secure and valid election herein Montgomery County, for both in-person voting on Election Day and for voting by dropping off completed paper ballots between now and Nov. 3. If the facts and evidence warrant it, we will prosecute anyone who attempts to interfere with this election.”
NORRISTOWN » The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Of f ice has launched an operational tip line to report suspicious as voters use drop boxes to submit mail-in ballots for the general election.
“Today I want to reassure Montgomery County residents that we will use all means to make certain we have a safe, secure and valid election here in Montgomery County, for both inperson voting on Election Day and for voting by dropping off completed paper ballots between now and Nov. 3,” said Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. “If the facts and evidence warrant it, we will prosecute anyone who attempts to interfere with this election.”
The county’s election board authorized 11 drop boxes last month. They became operational on Friday, and will be available for use from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays
— Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele.
and Sundays at the following locations:
• Cheltenham: The Cheltenham Wall Park, located at 1 Wall Park Drive in Elkins Park
• Conshohocken: 225 Washington St. in Conshohocken
• Lansdale: The Lansdale Church Road Parking Lot, located at 226 Station Square Blvd. in Lansdale
• Lower Merion: The Lower Merion Ludington Library, located at 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave. in Bryn Mawr
• Norristown: Airy Street Parking Lot, located at the intersection of DeKalb and Airy streets in Norristown.
• Pottstown: The Pottstown Montgomery County Community College – West Campus at the Hanover Street Building, located at 95 S. Hanover St. in Pottstown,
• Royersford: The Royersford Municipal Building, located at 300 Main St., in Royersford
• Skippack: The Skippack Municipal Building, located at 4089 Heckler Road in Skippack
• Upper Dublin: The Upper Dublin Municipal Building, located at 801 Loch Alsh Ave. in Fort Washington
• Upper Frederick: Green Lane Park, located at 2144 Snyder Road in Green Lane
• Upper Moreland: The Willow Grove YMCA, located at 3300 Davisville Road in Hatboro
Drop boxes will also be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, and from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 2 and on Election Day, Nov. 3. Voters must have their ballots submitted via drop box or by way of the county’s voter services office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
County officials have taken several security measures to safeguard the drop boxes including using surveillance. Additional precautions will apply to the election board’s four satellite offices in Lansdale, Lower Merion, Narberth, and Willow Grove.
Anyone who sees someone attempting to break into the boxes, delivering multiple ballots, damaging the boxes or otherwise doing something suspicious or criminal is asked to immediately call the election tip line at 610-292-2020.
First Assistant District Attorney Edward F. McCann Jr., will head the team of assistant district attorneys and Montgomery County detectives, according to Steele’s office. They will work with federal, state, county and local law enforcement, as well as other government officials, to protect access to and the integrity of the general election.
“This election season has been extremely contentious and discordant, with all sorts of rhetoric,” Steele said in a statement on Friday. “There have been allegations that there will be election irregularities, and while we don’t expect any, we are ready to assist in protecting the integrity of our electoral system—as we do for every election.”
The county’s district attorney’s office will have prosecutors and detectives available to refer and respond to complaints on Election Day. Anyone with information on Election Day should contact McCann by email at emccann2@montcopa.org or via the tip line at 610-2922020.
A representative from the district attorney’s office can also be reached by way of the county radio room at 610-275-1222.