Board will explore combining precincts

There are now 106 voting precincts located in 75 buildings across the county.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Meetings will be held this summer to talk about consolidating some of Lawrence County’s 106 polling places.

County election board members met recently and talked about making voting more efficient in the county.

Board member Frank Piccari suggested they look at consolidation before the 2008 presidential election, noting that some districts have very few voters.

Board member J.R. Hardester said just combining precincts that vote in the same building would be beneficial. There are 106 precincts with 75 polling places. Some buildings house two or more precincts. By combining the precincts, the county could save on salaries of the multiple groups of election workers who work in one spot.

Word of caution

Election director Marlene Gabriel cautioned board members not to act too swiftly.

She said voters are still griping about polling changes made due to the county’s recent 911 addressing project.

“When you tell a voter they have to move, you will start getting complaints,” she said.

But board members said they may just first look at consolidating precincts housed in the same building, which would not force anyone to move.

Hardester noted that this election board is in place only for 2006 because the county commissioners, who normally sit on the election board, are on the ballot. He suggested they hold public hearings and then pass that information to the next board.

Gabriel noted they could not make any changes until the 2009 elections. Terms of the current judges of elections will end that year and it will be possible to reduce their numbers.

cioffi@vindy.com