The Luzerne County Board of Elections is referring the county’s election day issues to the county district attorney.
At a special meeting Monday night, after more than two hours of public comment, the board voted unanimously to refer the ballot paper shortages at polling locations throughout the county for further investigation.
Dozens of polling places in Luzerne County ran out of the paper used to print ballots from the county’s electronic voting machines on election day last week. Polls stayed open in the county for two extra hours as a result, and many voters had to use provisional or emergency ballots.
Board of Elections Chair Denise Williams said the Bureau of Elections was still counting provisional ballots and mail-in ballots Monday night. No one from the Bureau of Elections attended the special meeting.
“I was informed by chief county solicitor Harry Skene that the election bureau leadership will not be attending tonight, as their focus needs to be finishing their election duties,” Williams told the crowd in the Luzerne County Courthouse’s council meeting room.
The board’s vote to refer the election day paper shortage to the District Attorney was the only agenda item of the night, with a public comment period on the issue before the vote.
Voters from Luzerne County and a few from Lackawanna County took the podium one by one, questioning what happened on election day, calling for resignations and sharing their own election day challenges.
The meeting room was filled to capacity with those who had arrived early enough to secure a seat. An overflow crowd sprawled throughout the courthouse rotunda, watching a livestream of the meeting on a television. Their cheers of support and occasional boos for those addressing the board often broke through to the meeting room.
Members of the Board of Elections had questions of their own and few answers regarding how more than 40 polling locations throughout the county ran out of ballot paper on election day.
“I'm in agreement that there needs to be an immediate investigation,” board member Alyssa Fusaro said. “But I have to say I find it absolutely appalling and disgusting that we are unable to actually investigate this because … we can’t figure out who’s responsible because people just decided not to come to the meeting.”
Williams said the Bureau of Elections, which is responsible for running the county’s elections, will conduct an internal investigation “and then be ready to discuss in detail what occurred during the 2022 general election.”
Luzerne County Council member Greg Wolovich was among those who questioned the Board of Elections during the public comment period. After the vote, he said the county council will likely discuss the election day issues as well and see how they can ensure an investigation occurs.
“We need to find out who's responsible and make sure we're holding the right people accountable,” he said.
