Montco polls are ready

>> With days to go until the 2021 primary election, Montgomery County officials want the public to know that they are ready for another election.

Montgomery County Chief Operating Officer Lee Soltysiak said officials are applying lessons learned from the 2020 primary and general elections, both of which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Good preparation, some experience under our belt and just generally lower anxiety due to the pandemic, I think is contributing to a good feeling heading into Tuesday,” he said.

Several races will appear on Tuesday’s ballot including local school boards, municipal offices and judgeships.

There are 594,903 people registered to vote in the May 18 primary, according to a Montgomery County spokesperson. The voter registration deadline elapsed on May 3.

Voters have the option to cast their ballots by mail, absentee or in-person. Those who opted to vote remotely had to have requested a ballot by May 11.

While the anticipated turnout rate is not yet known, Soltysiak estimated that about half of voters will cast their ballots by mail.

Montgomery County voting officials processed 75,799 mail-in ballot applications and received 38,273 ballots by way of the U.S. Postal Service and 11 secure ballot drop boxes.

“If you applied for and returned your ballot, your job is done as far as Election Day itself is concerned,” Soltysiak said.

As for the primary election’s in-person component, Solyziak said it’s “getting more back to normal,” expressing confidence as voters prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

“They can expect their in-person voting experience to be a smooth one,” he said.

Soltysiak estimated there are nearly 300 poll

ing places located across Montgomery County.

The county’s election board authorized the relocation of 40 polling places leading up to the May 18 primary election. The venues were finalized during a meeting last month.

Soltysiak stressed the department is prepared with adequate equipment and staffing for remote and on-site aspects of Election Day.

“The level of interest in an election doesn’t really change what it takes to prepare for an election,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how many people show up to vote, we still open up every single polling place, staff our operation as if every single person is going to show up to vote, which we hope everyone does.”

Soltysiak said that staff can begin opening envelopes at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, and the “same number of people” and shifts were scheduled similarly to the 2020 election cycle to account for continuous counting.

“We will stay there and count as long as it takes to get it done. I do not expect to count overnight,” he said.

Soltysiak encouraged area residents to make the necessary arrangements to cast their vote as Election Day approaches.

“If you’ve already applied for your mail-in and absentee ballot, you [must] return your ballot by 8 p.m. on election night either in our office or in a drop box,” Soltysiak said. “Or if you haven’t, make your plan to vote in person.”

For more information about the upcoming election, visit the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services website at www. montcopa.org/753/VoterServices.