Sue Ogrocki

Hearings on petitions to create seven new voting precincts — mostly in the county’s southern townships — have been scheduled Aug. 29 in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

If the proposed precincts are approved at that hearing, the county commissioners will vote Aug. 30 on the list of proposed polling places for the new precincts, bureau director Chantell McCurdy said Wednesday, Aug. 2, at the commissioners’ meeting.

The election bureau will send letters to the 50,000 voters who would be affected if the new precincts and polling places are approved, McCurdy said. The letters will be sent before the Nov. 7 election, she said.

In Adams Township, the bureau is proposing two new precincts and changing the polling place for the existing Adams Township 2 precinct based on redrawn precinct boundaries. The township currently has three precincts.

The polling place for the existing Adams Township 2 precinct is the meeting room in the Adams Township municipal building, but it would be moved to LifePointe Alliance Church if the new precincts are approved, according to the proposal.

Adams Township 4 and 5 are the proposed new precincts. Precinct 4’s polling place would be the municipal building and precinct 5 voters would cast their ballots at the Treesdale Community Center.

In Cranberry Township, the number of precincts would increase from nine to 11, and the two new ones would be Cranberry Township West 7 and West 8. The West 7 polling place would be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the West 8 poll would be the Victory Family Church. If those changes are approved, the West 6 precinct polling place would move from its current location at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Lifeway Baptist Church.

Jackson Township would see the number of precincts increase to two. The new precinct, Jackson Township 2, would vote at Rock Lake Community Center.

In Middlesex Township, the number of precincts would increase from two to three. The new precinct would be Middlesex Township 3 and the polling place would be Crossway Community Church.

Connoquenessing Township would see the number of precincts increase to two. The new precinct would be Connoquenessing Township 2 and the polling place would be the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, which also is the polling place for the existing precinct.

The hearings on the precinct proposals begin at 11 a.m. Aug. 29 in the county courthouse in Courtroom 3 before President Judge S. Michael Yeager.

Residents of the townships where the precinct and polling place changes are proposed can submit comments through the website butlercountypa.gov and go to bureau of elections page.

People who want to file objections to the changes for the court to consider must file their objections in the clerk of courts office before Aug. 29.

In addition, the commissioners agreed to apply to the state for $726,551 in 2023-24 Election Integrity Grant Program funds. The money can be spent on ballot printing, training and pay for poll workers, security, canvassing staff and other election-related work.

Last year, the county received $696,389 from the grant program. One of the conditions attached to last year’s grant program requires counties to begin counting mail-in and absentee ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day and continue uninterrupted until all ballots are counted. Commissioners said they are trying to find out if that requirement is attached to this year’s grant.