Governor’s race expected to drive voter turnout
Offices prepare for Nov. 3 election
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LEWISTOWN - Election officials in Mifflin and Juniata counties say preparations for the Nov. 3 general election are going smoothly, with enough poll workers in place and mail ballots returning at a steady rate.
The governor's race between Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican Stacy Garrity is expected to generate the most interest and help drive turnout in the two counties. Paula Hoffman, Mifflin County's director of elections, and Eva Weyrich, Juniata County's voter registrar and director of elections, both expect a good turnout, although neither offered a numerical projection.
"I believe we will get a good turnout," Hoffman said.
Mifflin County has slightly over 27,000 registered voters, Hoffman said. Her office sent out more than 2,500 mail-in and absentee ballots for the election, and about 60% had been returned as of Thursday, Oct. 22.
"That's a pretty good turnout there already," Hoffman said, referring to the mail-ballot return rate.
The 60% figure doesn't represent total voter turnout. Election Day voting and additional mail ballots will determine the final countywide turnout.
Juniata County has about 14,000 registered voters and had issued slightly over 1,000 mail-in and absentee ballots as of Thursday, Oct. 22. She described the return rate as good. Weyrich said the county was seeing slightly more mail-ballot activity than during last year's municipal election, although she didn't provide exact figures for comparison.
The voter-registration deadline passed Monday, Oct. 19. Registered voters may still apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Hoffman said Mifflin County voters can visit the election office, request a ballot and receive it after the office processes the application. They can complete the ballot there and return it immediately or take it home and return it later by mail, at the office or through the county's drop box.
Juniata County also offers on-demand mail-ballot voting at its voter registration office in the county courthouse. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and will remain open until 5 p.m. Oct. 27, according to a county notice.
County election offices must receive completed mail ballots by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. A postmark by that time isn't enough. With the deadline approaching, voters who use the mail should allow enough time for their ballots to reach the appropriate election office.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Neither county reported a shortage of poll workers. Hoffman and Weyrich said they had enough people to staff their precincts. Both also said voters won't encounter procedural changes from the last general election.
"Nothing has changed," Hoffman said.
The quiet preparations come before the long hours and steady stream of questions that define Election Day in county offices. Election officials must prepare voting equipment and polling locations before voters arrive. When the polls close, workers turn to collecting returns and beginning the count.
For Weyrich, one preventable problem returns from election to election: voters showing up at the wrong polling place. She urged residents to confirm their registration information and polling location before Nov. 3.
"They should check to ensure where they're registered to vote so they go to the correct polling place," Weyrich said. "That's the biggest thing."
Voters who requested a mail ballot can return it through the options provided by their county. Anyone who plans to vote in person should verify the polling location tied to the voter's current registration, especially after moving or changing an address.
For both county offices, the final days before the election will bring more returned mail ballots and last-minute questions. Both offices say they have the workers and procedures needed for Nov. 3, and both directors expect a good turnout.
Hoffman struck a cautiously confident tone about Mifflin County's preparations. "They're going pretty smooth right now," she said. "Let's not jinx it."