Commissioners: Voting went smoothly in Montco

Two polls workers report glitches with staffing, supplies

NORRISTOWN » Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. took a moment on Thursday to express his gratitude to people who worked on Election Day on Tuesday for the 2022 primary election.

“I want to thank all the poll workers, ballot counters and other staff who helped make sure the election ran smoothly,” said Ken Lawrence. “We literally can’t do this without the hundreds of people who sign up, and are committed to making sure we have free and fair elections each and every year.”

Approximately 2,300 people were scheduled to work the polls on Election Day, according to Montgomery County Director of Elections Dori Sawyer.

Sawyer also offered a “heartfelt thank you to all of our poll workers and community organizers” involved.

Lawrence, who also serves as chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, offered a status report during his opening comments of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday morning.

There were 505,661 registered voters for the 2022 primary election, which resulted in a 39.17 percent voter turnout rate, according to unofficial results from the county’s election summary report.

Tuesday’s 2022 primary election had 198,070 ballots cast, according to unofficial results from the county’s election summary report. In-person figures netted 135,199 inperson ballots and 64,217 mail-in ballots. Lawrence noted that 426 precincts were located across the county. Counting finished around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Lawrence.

Of the returned mail-in ballots, more than 1,300 were not yet accounted for. Another 528 absentee and mail-in ballots are “pending evaluation” as of Thursday morning, according to the county’s unofficial election results website. The remaining 818 ballots have been rejected, Montgomery County Communications Director Kelly Cofrancisco told MediaNews Group on Wednesday afternoon.

Cofrancisco noted several reasons for ballot rejections. They included ballots that had an “incomplete voter declaration,” “identifying marks on the secrecy envelope or ballot,” a “missing secrecy envelope,” or if the “ballot was received after 8 p.m. on Election Day.”

While county officials expressed confidence in the operations of Tuesday’s primary election, two area residents had differing opinions, as they shared during the public comment portion of Thursday morning’s commissioners meeting.

Towamencin Township resident Pauline Braccio worked as a judge of elections for the primary election for voters casting ballots in Towamencin 3-1, a polling place located at Dock Woods, a senior living community on 275 Dock Drive.

Braccio said she only received 12 privacy folders and observed limited supplies at her polling place that listed approximately 1,600 voters.

“So when … a flurry of people would come in, we were literally running out of Sharpies and folders,” she said. Braccio stressed the need for continued dialogue with the county election personnel.

“I know there’s a lot of precincts, but at some point, I think somebody from voter services should be contacting every judge of election, and asking them what do you feel you need to handle when there’s a rush?” Braccio said. “And we know that in November — it’s going to be a huge turnout. So let’s be prepared for that better.”

East Norriton Township resident Kim Henderson noted problems she experienced while working on Election Day at East Norriton 2-4, a polling place housed at the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia, 3311 Swede

Road.

“We didn’t have enough staffing. The machine did not work. We opened 45 minutes late,” Henderson said.

While Sawyer confirmed the polling place did open late, she said it was a fraction of the time Henderson estimated. “The county did respond very quickly,” Sawyer said, adding that they were “able to get it up and running in a timely manner.”

When asked if the East Norriton Township-based polling place lacked poll workers, Sawyer said she was “aware some of (the) scheduled staff did not arrive at opening as scheduled, and we were able to redirect some staff to that location.”

Sawyer stressed that the goal is to have five poll workers present at each polling location. She said there are “some places with extra poll workers,” but cases do arise when people “call out on Election

Day.”

“I think the important thing to remember is that the people who volunteer at polling locations are also people,” she said.

Sawyer noted that participation in that particular area has been low.

“East Norriton is an area where we struggle to have volunteers,” Sawyer said.

Additionally, Sawyer noted the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented a number of challenges, and the county’s voter services office staff has adapted by having additional participants.

“People have been contracting COVID. People do have family emergencies. So we do like have extra padding in case things do come up,” Sawyer said.

Henderson suggested formulating set appointments with the county’s election board.

“So a solution I’d like to propose is that we the people would like to have more conversations, and question-and-answer time with the board so we can express our concerns, and get some solutions,” she said.

Lawrence said that the counting and evaluation of provisional ballots will start Friday, and members of the military or citizens living abroad have until Monday to return their ballots.

“We will continue to update the site until all eligible ballots have been processed, and thank you for voting,” Lawrence said. Ballot intake will commence Tuesday.

The results of the 2022 primary election must be certified by June 6, according to Sawyer.

In anticipation of higher voter turnout in November, Sawyer encouraged anyone interested in working as a poll worker to get more information and apply at votes. pa.gov. The general election is slated for Nov. 1.