Elections workers proceed as usual
County Elections Director Aaron Sheasley said at Wednesday’s county commissioners meeting that the bureau hasn’t received guidance from the state about whether dates will change for the upcoming primary election given a lack of updated U.S. House districts. Further the commissioners also approved the movement of three polling locations in Butler County, which Sheasley said were necessary due primarily to size or parking limitations.
The clock strikes 6 a.m. Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” comes on the radio. "Don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cold out there,” the DJ says. Bill Murray rises from bed. And just as in the movie “Groundhog Day,” the Butler County Bureau of Elections again continues its day-to-day work without knowing how the upcoming election will operate.
County Elections Director Aaron Sheasley said at Wednesday’s county commissioners meeting that the bureau hasn’t received guidance from the state about whether dates will change for the upcoming primary election given a lack of updated U.S. House districts, and a stay on the Commonwealth Court’s ruling Act 77 as unconstitutional means it likely won’t affect mail-in voting for this election.
Just as was the case two years ago, the county’s handling of the 2022 primary election largely depends on statewide changes. Act 77’s no-excuse mail-in voting provisions were ruled unconstitutional, but likely will remain in effect until the state Supreme Court rules on the case, county solicitor Wil White said, and the state’s high court will also likely determine the congressional maps for the upcoming election.
“Obviously, we have no control over any of that,” Sheasley said.
Because Pennsylvania still has no-excuse mail-in voting — at least for now — Sheasley said the bureau sent out 26,492 letters to registered voters who had identified in a prior year that they wish to permanently vote by mail.
Commissioners chairwoman Leslie Osche said the bureau must continue to operate as though nothing has changed. At least, until the bureau is told something has.
Potential changes include the elimination of no-excuse mail-in voting, a state Supreme Court-imposed redistricting map, the postponement of the 2022 primary elections and changes to deadlines for candidates to amass signatures and submit nominating petitions.
“It has put pressure on the election systems for sure,” said commissioner Kevin Boozel.
Osche criticized the glacial pace at which redistricting has moved as well as the lack of movement from the state with respect to determining how the primary elections will operate.
“It’s a sad state of affairs, in my opinion,” Osche said.
Commissioners also approved the movement of three polling locations in Butler County, which Sheasley said were necessary due primarily to size or parking limitations.
Center Township’s second precinct will move from the Church of God of Prophecy, 932 Mercer Road, to Community Alliance Church, 800 Mercer Road.
“There were (access issues) with the Church of Prophecy in terms of parking and being accessible for those who had difficulty walking and getting there,” Sheasley said. “Specifically, the parking lot is less than ideal, in terms of size. The building itself has some size constraints.”
In Eau Claire, voters will now vote at the fire department’s social hall, 137 N. Washington St., rather than the borough office.
“This was requested by the borough,” Sheasley said. “The building itself is not up to where they feel it should be, with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. There are parking issues. And the volunteer fire department has a large social hall with outstanding parking.”
And in Evans City, the polling place will move from the Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Company, 124 N. Jackson St., to the Gospel Life Church social hall, 242 S. Washington St. Sheasley said the fire department was a temporary polling place due to COVID-19 related social-distancing requirements and they asked the county to move to a different location.
“It was (due to) last-minute changes during COVID. We appreciate what they did,” Boozel said. “It also disrupted their operation and that’s one of their issues.”
Osche elaborated on Boozel’s comments, saying the voting at the department took place in a truck bay as the upstairs social hall was unaccessible to those with limited mobility.
Voters whose polling places are being moved will be notified in several ways, according to Sheasley. Each voter in those precincts will receive a letter and receive new voter registration information, the updates will be available on the county’s website and the old polling locations will include signs on election days directing voters to the new sites.
