Pennsylvania county manager sued over plans to end use of drop boxes for mail-in ballots

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — Three residents of a northeastern Pennsylvania county sued Tuesday to overturn a local official’s announcement that she will prevent all four of its drop boxes from being deployed for use by those voting by mail and absentee ballot in the Nov. 5 election.

The lawsuit in Luzerne County argues county manager Romilda Crocamo lacks authority for statements made last month that the county would not use drop boxes “because of purported safety and security concerns.” Drop boxes are used to hand over completed ballots by those who don’t want to put mail-in ballots through the mail.

The voters who sued said the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration plans to deploy four drop boxes, as it has in other recent elections. The board in February voted down a proposal to eliminate all drop boxes, their lawsuit states.

The lawsuit accuses Crocamo of violating state election law and it claims her policy will “lead to irreparable harm to the voting rights” in Luzerne. The plaintiffs want a county judge to stop Crocamo from implementing her decision.

In an email seeking comment, Crocamo wrote Tuesday: “I do not engage in public comment during litigation.” Messages seeking comment were left with two of the five members of the Elections and Registration Board, which also is a defendant in the case.

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