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Consolidation, new regulations eliminate 93 of the county’s 312 voting locations.
Some familiar neighborhood election polling places won’t be used anymore because of voting precinct consolidations and tougher regulations governing where people vote.
County Election Bureau Director Leonard Piazza is posting a list of the new locations on the county Web site and at his office today.
He urges residents and community leaders to review the list and contact him quickly with concerns, though he can’t guarantee that other options are available.
For starters, the locations must be accessible to people with disabilities.
They also can’t be in the private homes of elected or appointed officials or candidates or in places where alcohol is served, according to the state.
Locations also must be changed because the county is eliminating 93 city and borough voting precincts for efficiency and to save money, leaving the county with 219 in November, Piazza said.
Piazza said his office has received calls from some who say they may not vote if their polling location is switched.
He said he and his staff have been working with municipal officials and other groups to find the most appropriate, centrally located spots.
While he’s open to suggestions, Piazza said the county must follow state and federal mandates.
“If we do not get into compliance with all polling locations, we would run the risk of the government recalling federal grant money we’ve been awarded. That’s something the county is not willing to risk,” he said.
Piazza wants to finalize the locations by next week so the county may alert each impacted voter in writing.
The county Election Board recently agreed to mail two rounds of polling location notices — one soon and the other right before the election.
Voters will receive new registration cards with the polling place listed on the back. New cards may also be issued to voters who now have different precinct identification numbers, even though they will vote in the same place
The county has received grant money to help make places accessible and has used some of it on portable parking signs and ramps, Piazza said.
How to get the list
The list of new polling places is available at the county’s Web site ( www.luzernecounty.org, click on “Bureau of Elections”) or at the election bureau office, the county’s Penn Place building, second floor, Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilkes-Barre. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The office phone number is 825-1715.