Mail-in voting applications adding up in Luzerne County

Luzerne County is now approaching a quarter of eligible June 2 primary election voters signed up to vote by mail, the latest statistics show.

As of Thursday, more than 45,000 voters have requested mail-in ballots — a new option heavily promoted to avoid safety concerns of in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. State officials authorized mail-in ballots, with no excuse required, last fall.

In total, 184,560 Democrats and Republicans are now registered to vote in the primary, which puts the mail-ins at more than 24%.

County Manager C. David Pedri told county council this week the county’s sending of mail-in ballot applications to all registered Democrats and Republicans, covered by state and federal coronavirus funding, prompted more than 10,000 new applications.

“It’s been a huge success,” Pedri said, noting he is reassigning staff to help process the influx of incoming applications and ballots that must be mailed out.

During public comment, Kingston resident Brian Shiner urged voters to fill out only one mail-in ballot application so the county election office is not forced to waste time and resources researching duplicates that must be rejected.

County Election Director Shelby Watchilla said other outside entities also have been sending out mail-in voting applications, prompting some voters to send in more than one.

County and state officials said the voter registration tracking system only allows one mail-in ballot to be issued to each voter, with each ballot containing a unique bar code, preventing someone from voting twice.

Watchilla asked mail-in voters for patience, saying it takes several days to process the applications and send a ballot.

The mail-in application deadline is May 26.

A lock box is located in the lobby at the county’s Penn Place building at the corner of Market Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre for voters interested in dropping off mail-in applications, completed ballots or voter registration applications.

The Penn Place lobby is open and manned by security until 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, although it will remain open until 5 p.m. on Monday because that is the registration deadline for new primary election voters, Watchilla said.

Information on the election can be obtained at www.luzernecounty.org or by calling the election office at 570-825-1715.