It’s all over but the voting
Amie Nehls, an administrative assistant with Greene County Elections Office, spent Monday handing out voter information and voting machines to poll workers at the county’s 44 precincts in preparation of Election Day.
Bruce Shipley, left, and Jason Bowser, Greene County maintenance workers, unload voting machines outside of Greene County Elections Office Monday morning in preparation of Election Day.
Of Washington County’s 176 voting precincts, only two have changed locations: California 1 and 2 voters should head to the borough building, 225 Third St. instead of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. This sign at the elections office was awaiting posting.
Cumberland Township Police Department
Washington County elections workers, from left, Dakota Marker, Greta Spicer and Chad Pavlecic prepare the polling place Tuesday at Holy Christ Byzantine Church in Charleroi for today’s general election.
Polls open at 7 a.m. today for the presidential and down-ballot contests, and Washington County officials have some advice for those voting in person: go between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. if you can.
“Usually the heaviest lines occur before and after working hours,” said Larry Spahr, Washington County elections director, from his office at Courthouse Square.
Polls serving communities along the Route 19 corridor, including Peters and North and South Strabane townships, plus precincts in Cecil Township where new homes have been built, have 1,000 to 1,200 registered voters and the greatest potential for long lines to form.
In these places, the elections office added an extra electronic poll book and an extra touch-screen voting machine to “keep everything moving as quickly as possible,” Spahr said. “In prior presidential years, some precincts voted as high as 90 percent. Turnout (countywide) could be anywhere from 60 to 65 percent of total registration.”
Another reason lines may form is that no more than 10 voters are permitted inside a polling place at one time in an attempt to keep them well-organized and keep confusion at a minimum, according to the elections director.
He has instructed members of local elections boards to announce, “Hear ye, hear ye,” at 8 p.m. that the polls have closed. Anyone waiting in line at 8 p.m. will still be permitted to vote, but those who arrive at 8:01 p.m. or later won’t be allowed. Tina Kiger, director of the Greene County elections office, said she expects there may be lines at some of the polling places for the larger precincts, such as Cumberland No. 1 and Franklin East, during certain times of the day.
“We usually don’t (have lines), but we probably will,” she said. “The presidential election always brings out more voters.”
The heaviest voting normally takes place around lunch and after work hours, from about 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m., Kiger said.
“The best times to vote are usually after people start work, probably between 9 a.m. and noon, and between 2 and 4 p.m., after the lunch hours,” she said. “For anyone who doesn’t want to wait, those are probably the best times.”
Though the office has heard nothing to indicate there will be any problems related to the contentiousness of the election, poll workers have been instructed what to do if certain issues develop, she said.
“We told our boards to be ready, and if things get a little crazy, to call us,” Kiger said.
In Pennsylvania, those hailing voters or trying to persuade them by handing out political pamphlets or cards must stay 10 feet away from the polls. What constitutes “the poll” is often open to interpretation, especially if rain or snow is falling and electioneers edge indoors.
“We’ve had conscientious constables take a tape measure and spray paint,” Spahr said of no-electioneering boundaries.
If Pennsylvanians feel uncomfortable about in-your-face tactics by a cluster of candidate boosters, it’s little solace to know that in neighboring states, the rules are stricter. West Virginia keeps those handing out campaign materials 300 feet from a poll’s entrance. In Ohio and Maryland, it’s 100 feet. Ohio elections officials are to place two or more American flags to mark the 100-foot line. If a queue extends beyond the 100-foot perimeter, electioneering can’t take place within 10 feet of any voter, and Ohio state law prohibits solicitation or attempting to influence any elector in casting his or her vote.
Spahr reminded voters that if anyone tries to engage with them at a poll or ask them about their support of a candidate, they voters have a right to remain silent. “Tell them, ‘It’s none of your business.’ I understand it’s an emotional issue.”
Marian K. Schneider, Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary for elections and administration, a few weeks ago addressed police presence at polling places.
Police officers in uniform or plainclothes must be 100 feet from a poll, except when the police officer is personally voting, summoned to the polling place, or if the polling place is located in a building that houses a police department.
Voters are prohibited from bringing firearms into schools used as polling places or courthouses, and if voter uses a firearm aggressively or to interfere with a person’s right to vote, this is considered intimidation, which is punishable by a fine, imprisonment or both. Any attempted intimidation should be reported to the local judge of elections, the district attorney and the county election board.
The wearing of partisan apparel should not prevent a voter from casting a ballot.
There are only two reasons why a poll watcher, poll worker or other voter may challenge a voter on Election Day: identity and residency. The voter may still vote normally by signing a challenge affidavit and producing a witness to vouch for him or her. In this case, the state tells voters who have been challenged to have a witness accompany him or her to the polling location.
“No poll watcher should be snapping pictures of people waiting line,” Schneider said.
The matter of “selfies” that voters take at polling places is up to each county. Washington County isn’t prohibiting them, but warns those photographing themselves not to include anyone else or anyone else’s ballot in the picture. Greene County has prohibited the taking of selfies while voting, but has created “selfie spaces” with signs outside polling locations that can be used for photographic backdrops.
Commonwealth Court in 2012 struck down a state law requiring every voter to show photo identification, but identification is still required for first-time voters, including those voting for the first time in a new precinct. Acceptable forms of identification include a Pennsylvania driver’s license, a non-driver ID issued by PennDOT, a United States passport, identification issued by the state or federal government, armed forces identification, student identification, employee identification, confirmation issued by the county elections office, firearm permit, current utility bill, current bank statement, current paycheck or government check.
People can confirm their registration or polling place online by visiting www.votespa.com. A voter’s polling place is printed on his or her voter registration card.
Those with questions can call 1-877-VotesPA. “We expect it to be very busy,” said Jonathan M. Marks, commissioner for the state Bureau of Elections.
Here are local election bureau phone numbers: Washington County elections office, 724-228-6750; Greene County elections office, 724-852-5304; Westmoreland County elections bureau, 724-830-3150; and Fayette County elections bureau, 724-430-1289.
Only two of Washington County’s 176 precincts have been changed since the last election. Voters in California’s 1st and 2nd precincts will be voting in the borough building, 225 Third St., instead of in St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
In addition to the presidential contest, Pennsylvanians will be voting for U.S. senator, state attorney general, state auditor general, state treasurer, representatives in Congress, representatives in the General Assembly and a state constitutional amendment which, if passed, would raise the retirement age of judges to 75 from the current 70 years of age. Those who live in odd-numbered state senatorial districts will be voting for state senators.
Staff writer Bob Niedbala contributed to this report.