Current:Home > MarketsPennsylvania county manager sued over plans to end use of drop boxes for mail-in ballots-InfoLens
Pennsylvania county manager sued over plans to end use of drop boxes for mail-in ballots
View Date:2024-12-23 11:47:08
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — Three residents of a northeastern Pennsylvania county sued Tuesday to overturn a local official’s announcement that she will prevent all four of its drop boxes from being deployed for use by those voting by mail and absentee ballot in the Nov. 5 election.
The lawsuit in Luzerne County argues county manager Romilda Crocamo lacks authority for statements made last month that the county would not use drop boxes “because of purported safety and security concerns.” Drop boxes are used to hand over completed ballots by those who don’t want to put mail-in ballots through the mail.
The voters who sued said the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration plans to deploy four drop boxes, as it has in other recent elections. The board in February voted down a proposal to eliminate all drop boxes, their lawsuit states.
The lawsuit accuses Crocamo of violating state election law and it claims her policy will “lead to irreparable harm to the voting rights” in Luzerne. The plaintiffs want a county judge to stop Crocamo from implementing her decision.
In an email seeking comment, Crocamo wrote Tuesday: “I do not engage in public comment during litigation.” Messages seeking comment were left with two of the five members of the Elections and Registration Board, which also is a defendant in the case.
Witold Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said in a statement Crocamo had no authority for what he called an “end run around the board of elections’ decision to continue offering Luzerne County county voters a safe and easy option to vote by mail, and we hope the court will quickly restore the four drop boxes.”
The voters and the nonprofit civic group In This Together NEPA Inc., which also is a plaintiff, argued there have been no substantiated cases of abuse or fraud involving drop boxes in Luzerne County. They said the drop boxes have been monitored by camera.
The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre reported Tuesday that Crocamo has said she does have the authority — as part of her duty to oversee personnel and the security of county-owned properties.
veryGood! (814)
Related
- California researchers discover mysterious, gelatinous new sea slug
- Saint Levant, rapper raised in Gaza, speaks out on 'brutal genocide' during Coachella set
- Powerball winning numbers for April 15 drawing with $63 million jackpot at stake
- A big pet peeve: Soaring costs of vet care bite into owners' budgets
- Halle Berry Rocks Sheer Dress She Wore to 2002 Oscars 22 Years Later
- Ukraine prime minister calls for more investment in war-torn country during Chicago stop of US visit
- Forget Nvidia: Billionaire Bill Ackman owns $1.9 billion worth of Alphabet stock
- Civil rights attorney demands footage in fatal police chase, but city lawyer says none exists
- Keke Palmer Says Ryan Murphy “Ripped” Into Her Over Scream Queens Schedule
- NPR suspends editor who criticized his employer for what he calls an unquestioned liberal worldview
Ranking
- Relive Pregnant Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly's Achingly Beautiful Romance
- The Biden campaign is trying to keep Jan. 6 top of mind with voters. Will it work?
- Shakira surprises at Bizarrap’s set at Coachella, announces world tour: How to get tickets
- Alexa and Carlos PenaVega reveal stillbirth of daughter: 'It has been a painful journey'
- Amazon Prime Video to stream Diamond Sports' regional networks
- Participant, studio behind ‘Spotlight,’ ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ shutters after 20 years
- Wait, what is a scooped bagel? Inside the LA vs. New York debate dividing foodies.
- Southern governors tell autoworkers that voting for a union will put their jobs in jeopardy
Recommendation
-
Brittany Cartwright Defends Hooking Up With Jax Taylor's Friend Amid Their Divorce
-
West Virginia transgender sports ban discriminates against teen athlete, appeals court says
-
Wisconsin Republicans ignore governor’s call to spend $125M to combat so-called forever chemicals
-
How Do Neighbors of Solar Farms Really Feel? A New Survey Has Answers
-
Judge moves to slash $38 million verdict in New Hampshire youth center abuse case
-
Affidavit: Daughter’s boyfriend of whom Atlantic City Mayor disapproved recorded abuse in video call
-
Kentucky prosecutor accused of trading favors for meth and sex resigns from office
-
Another record for New Jersey internet gambling revenue as in-person winnings struggle