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York County election office pressured as mail-in ballots mount, Election Day looms

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YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — The York County Election Office is feeling the pressure as mail-in ballots continue to mount and Election Day soon arrives.

Tuesday was the last day Pennsylvanians could apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot for the upcoming Nov. 5 General Election. Hal Brook, of York County, witnessed the hectic atmosphere as he dropped his completed ballot.

"It's a madhouse in there," Brook said. "I'm glad I'm not standing in those lines."

Brook is glad his vote is in, but other York Countians are not so sure, including out-of-state voter Jacob Franciscus, who requested a mail-in, but did not receive one.

"When I called them on Wednesday of last week, [they said] they're just overwhelmed," Franciscus said. "There's a lot going on."

Julie Wheeler is the President Commissioner of the York County Administration who oversees elections in the county.

"There's pressure being put on the system now," Wheeler said.

Sixty-six other counties have the same pressure, but York mistakenly sent 400 mail-in ballots to the wrong address. Those would-be voters are concerned.

"We are humans and we do make mistakes," Wheeler said. "We do our best to correct those mistakes, identify the root causes, and then put checks and balances in place so that they don't happen again."

Wheeler says voters who left emails or phone numbers were notified. Those who didn't should check the state's website for status. If the ballot is undeliverable, the county has it. Those voters impacted can go in to the county election office, receive it, and vote. If not, they can cast a provisional on Election Day that will count. As for Franciscus and other out-of-staters, Wheeler has another plan.

"Call the office and we will FedEx them their ballot and they can FedEx it back to us," Wheeler said. "We are doing our best to ensure that everyone who wants to vote, gets to vote."

Wheeler says the impacted voters gave the county faulty addresses and the United States Postal Service will not forward ballots.

The problem is likely solved for Franciscus, but he wonders: "How many other people just aren't going to get their ballot and just aren't going to get the opportunity to vote? [How many] are going to get denied the opportunity to vote?"

York County seems to have more ballot issues than most, but other York Countians, including Kelly Drain, dropped off their ballots without issues.

"It was fine, it was easy," Drain said.

Franciscus told us he has spoken with election officials today, and they are sending him a ballot overnight.


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