Luzerne County in Pennsylvania will not be using ballot drop boxes in the upcoming November election. County manager Romilda Crocamo cited worries about illegal activities, budget limitations, and security concerns as the reasons for this decision.
She stated that the county lacks the resources to monitor the drop boxes effectively, and video surveillance is insufficient to prevent fraud.
“While I recognize that drop boxes can provide alternative means for voters to cast their ballots, I must prioritize the safety and security of our community in the current political climate,” Crocamo said. “We don’t have the capability, we don’t have the number of staff members to actually stand by the drop boxes to keep them safe, so I decided I’m not going to deploy them.”
Video isn’t a “foolproof means of ensuring compliance with voting laws,” Crocamo said.
Voters will now need to send mail-in ballots directly to the Bureau of Elections or drop them off at its headquarters.
“Mail-in Ballots come in from a dropbox; we have to have two staff also do a chain of custody, so actually, it does drain a lot of our resources,” Crocamo added. “The insurance policy on the drop boxes also has a $10,000 limit, which exposes the county to financial risk should a problem arise.”
The decision has sparked mixed reactions among residents, with some expressing concerns about potential disenfranchisement.
“It’s a waste of resources; we have 186 precincts along with mail-in ballots, which the postal service is going to be overladen with, to have the drop boxes in place; there really isn’t a purpose for them,” Nanticoke resident Ronald Knapp said.
Kingston resident Roni Good differed, remarking, “If they’re not gonna have drop boxes, what are we going to do about our mail system. I know people whose votes didn’t get counted because they were late.”
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania has remained a critical battleground state, with recent polls showing a tight race between Trump and Harris.
“I think if you match up Trump with Harris, and I think that’s what this is really about, and I do believe he’s going to win Pennsylvania. And I do believe it’s going to be close, but whether it’s Biden, whether it was Clinton, or whether it was with Vice President Harris I think it’s going to be very close,” Sen. John Fetterman said.
