BELLEFONTE — With Election Day right around the corner, Centre County has plans on being transparent when it comes to counting the mail-in ballots.
During the Sept. 26 Board of Commissioners meeting, the BOC unanimously approved sponsorship for the taping of the livestream of the 2023 municipal election vote-by-mail processing room at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
Centre County Director of Elections and Voter Registration Beth Lechman noted that ballots will be counted both at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center and at the Willowbank Building.
“We’re kind of feeling some things out, trying to prepare for next year … seeing what will work and what won’t work,” Lechman said. “This is a plan that will, hopefully, get us ahead of the game for next year.”
BOC Chair Mark Higgins said he liked the idea.
“That’s amazing. I’m glad to see that we’re becoming more and more efficient over time in counting the ballots while still following the proper procedures and being taped and livestreamed the entire time,” Higgins said.
According to Lechman, the livestream will take place at both locations.
“I have talked to C-NET and they will provide the livestream at the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) as well. They’ll cover both locations,” Lechman said.
Commissioner Amber Concepcion approved of the idea.
“I think this is good so that citizens can see the process in action,” she said.
The BOC also approved a contract with Advanced Shipping Technologies Inc. for the transport of election voting equipment. The contract is to not exceed $21,600. It is pending solicitor review.
“This is a cooperation. We will be working with this company. We will have a county employee with them through their deliveries to complete the chain of custody. We are working on an electronic form on a tablet where they will take pictures and record when they are delivered as well,” Lechman said.
There are more than 80 election locations within the county.
Concepcion asked if the company had “done this kind of work before.”
“They haven’t done this exact work, but they’ve done similar jobs,” Lechman said.
County Administrator John Franek noted that the company has “done school testing equipment.”
“That also has a high level of security,” Concepcion said.
Commissioner Steve Dershem said he was on board with the selection.
“I have confidence in Beth’s selection of the company,” Dershem said.
Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Pennsylvania.
The BOC will meet again at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3 at the Willowbank Building. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live by C-NET.
