SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — While covering the Lackawanna County Commissioners race, 28/22 News came across a major concern from poll workers at Scranton High School.
The Lackawanna County Election Bureau announced last month several precincts would permanently move to the high school. Additionally, there were temporary changes made across the county, both decided by the Department of Justice.
Multiple Judges of Elections and other poll workers are unhappy with the decision made by the Department of Justice.
They say they lost many voters and poll workers that couldn’t get to the high school from the high rises downtown because of the change.
“We don’t have people to volunteer anymore because they were living there, and now we are here with nothing — and nobody can get here. We were fighting buses to come and pick up people that had to walk here,” said Jasmine Ponce, Judge of Elections in districts 9-1 and 9-2.
There are eight precincts that now vote in the high school cafeteria. Voter turnout was low this election, but poll workers were concerned about what will happen in the presidential election just a year from now, with some predicting lines out the door.
The Bureau of Elections says voters were notified of the change by mail. 28/22 News will continue to follow this developing story for you. On air and online.
