Butler County administrators are continuing to communicate with the United States Post Office about why thousands of ballots failed to be delivered but they are shifting their focus to making sure everyone who would like to vote has the opportunity.
The Butler County Commissioners acting as the Board of Elections called a press conference Thursday afternoon to address many of the questions they have been receiving about the mail-in ballot situation. Commissioner Leslie Osche explains:
“We can confirm that the Elections Bureau mailed out 40,000 ballots, mail-in or absentee ballots to voters, and as of today, 21,300 have been returned either by mail or by in-person delivery.”
The Butler County Bureau of Elections is working on scanning in all of the ballots that have been returned so that they will be available to view on the votesPA website as having been received. That is expected to be achieved within the next 48 hours.
Although voters submitting a ballot in person at the Government Center are only able to drop off their own ballot, a recent change has been made to the requirement of displaying identification. Commissioner Kevin Boozel talks about new guidance from the state:
“At the drop center downstairs in the lobby or even at the elections office when they go to hand deliver their ballot, they’re not requiring an ID. They’re asking is this your ballot? Yes it is. Thank you very much. But you can only drop your own off.”
Extended Bureau of Election hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday.
