Westmoreland County eliminating drop boxes for absentee ballots

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — If you’re planning to vote absentee in Westmoreland County for the April primary or for the general election in November – you’ll either have to mail your ballot in or drop it off at the election bureau office inside the courthouse. There will be no drop boxes anywhere in the county, including outside the courthouse.

In 2020, the demand for absentee ballots in Westmoreland County was high.

“Not knowing how the pandemic was going to turn out, I think a lot of people chose that option,” said Greg McCloskey, Director of the Westmoreland County Elections Bureau.

For the general election in 2020, 60,000 voters in Westmoreland County requested absentee ballots. About 10,000 were dropped off at boxes across the county, 8,000 at the drop box at the courthouse.

This year, those drop boxes will be eliminated.

“It’s a regrettable decision,” said County Commissioner Ted Kopas.

Kopas is the lone Democratic commissioner for Westmoreland County.

“We should be in the business of making voting easier and more accessible, especially for those folks who have challenges for getting out and voting in person,” Kopas said.

Election officials say the use of drop boxes has gone down each year since 2020.

“Everyone anticipates probably a historic turnout for this presidential election, so I’d suspect the demand for drop boxes to be even higher this year,” Kopas said.

But his Republican counterparts on the County Commission said it’s too expensive to operate the boxes and transport ballots to the courthouse.

Neither of the republican commissioners responded to Channel 11′s request for comment.

Westmoreland isn’t the only local county without drop boxes. Beaver, Butler, and Fayette Counties told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek they do not use them.

But, Allegheny County is expanding its use of drop boxes for the primary.

Havranek spoke with some voters in Westmoreland County on Thursday.

“Doesn’t bother me one way or another,” said David Hanko of Penn Township. “I vote in my district.”

“I mean for those who have a hard time, it’s probably worse for them,” added Kelly Mandarino of Monessen. “I go to the poll at my polling place. I don’t, you know, see it as a problem for myself. For others, it could be a big problem.”

Starting April 9, the election office in Westmoreland County will be open seven days a week until the primary election.

On weekdays, the office will be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

On weekends, the office will be open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

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