Elections Office Announcement

News Release
Contact: Greene County Commissioners
724-852-5210
sapenich@co.greene.pa.us
 
Greene County Prepared for General Election
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County Commissioners, acting as the Greene County Election Board, provide the following update on election day preparations.
The Greene County Elections Office reports that all requested ballots, absentee and mail-in, have been processed and the office is keeping up to additional daily requests. The deadline to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot is October 27th. 
If you requested and receive your absentee or mail-in ballot, carefully follow the included instructions. Once you fill out your ballot, ensure it is inserted into the provided secrecy envelope and then the return envelope. Complete the Voter’s Declaration on the back of the return envelope. The date is the date you are preparing your ballot not your birthday.  Should you mistakenly write your date of birth, we are requesting a single line through the date, write the correct date and initial. If you feel the need to completely tape your envelope shut, please initial the tape this provides the counting board you intentionally did this.
Once complete, simply drop your return envelope into a mailbox or drop it off at the Election Office at 93 East High Street, Room 102, Waynesburg, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. including lunch hours. There are no additional drop boxes in Greene County. You may only drop off your own ballot.  If you are unable, we are offering to come to your car to retrieve your ballot, please call ahead 724-852-5230.
If you requested an absentee or mail-in ballot and did not receive it, please contact the Elections Office immediately. If there are any anomalies with your ballot, as some of our neighboring counties have reported; no ballot, wrong ballot, etc. contact the Elections Office immediately. Greene County completed ballot preparations in-house, without a contractor or third party and do not expect to experience any of these problems.
If you received an absentee or mail-in ballot and have decided to go to the poll to vote instead of mailing your ballot, make sure that you take your return envelope and ballot with you. At the poll, your ballot and envelope will be “spoiled” allowing you to cast your vote on the electronic voting machine.  If you fail to bring in the return envelope and ballot you will be required to execute an Affirmation and vote by a paper provisional ballot.
The Election Office is also conducting early in-person voting through October 27 at 5 p.m.

Provided you have not previously requested an absentee or mail-in ballot, voters may request, fill out, and return a mail-in ballot in-person at the election office. Proof of identification is required to vote in-person.

 

Greene County recently used grant funding to purchase a highspeed scanner and envelope opener to aid in the processing of the increased number of absentee and mail-in ballots. That equipment has arrived and staff training is scheduled for October 30, 2020.
Public notification of the General Election and Polling Places has been submitted to local news media for publication. The polling locations are back to the original locations with two exceptions. Carmichaels Borough will be utilizing The Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church located at 104 West South Street, Carmichaels, PA and Jefferson #3 will be utilizing the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department located at 1483 Jefferson Road, Jefferson, PA.
Poll workers and additional county staff have been identified to support the requirements of election day and poll worker training is complete. There are currently 6 substitute poll workers unassigned with three vacate requirements. We are specifically looking for a Judge and Clerk to work in Jefferson 2 (Pitt Gas) and a Majority Inspector (D) to work in Wayne West. If you are interested, please call the Elections Office.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be available at the polls. Voters are encouraged to bring their own desired level of PPE to include face coverings and gloves. Individual pens will be available to sign the poll books and retained by voters.
 
Following the conclusion of election day activities, the Greene County Ballot Counting Board will commence the counting of absentee and mail-in ballots for the General Election on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 9:00 am in the first-floor conference room, County Office Building, 93 East High Street, Waynesburg.
 
The Greene County Board of Elections will commence the computation and canvass of the votes cast at the November 3, 2020 General Election on Friday, November 6, 2020 at 9 A.M., in the office of the Election Bureau, Rm. 102, County Office Building, 93 East High Street, Waynesburg.
 
Mike Belding, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and the Elections Board stated, “Greene County is well prepared for the General Election. Most of the staff have been through these new processes and procedures during the primary election. We’ve established a process to accurately inventory and account for every vote that is cast; whether at the polls on a voting machine, a provisional ballot or via absentee or mail-in ballots. We have established, proven procedures to ensure every vote is counted and no one has an opportunity to vote more than once. Every vote is important and we are focused on the integrity and accuracy of the vote. Realizing speed is of interest as well, we’ve invested in equipment to help move that along, but we are intently focused on accuracy.”
Clearly, results of the election will be delayed because of recent court decisions allowing mail-in ballots to arrive at the elections office up until 5:00 p.m. on Friday evening. Our goal is to have all ballots and accurate voting results available by Monday evening, November 9, 2020.
Lastly, the District Attorney of Greene County recently addressed election day security. “It has come to my attention that some have expressed concern about their safety at the polls on Election Day. As senior chief law enforcement officer of the County, I have seen no evidence to suggest that there will be any issue with safety or security on Election Day. Therefore, I urge everyone to exercise their right to vote and please feel free and safe to go to the polls to do so.”, Dave Russo, District Attorney of Greene County, PA
Additional information can be obtained on the Greene County Website, the Greene County Commissioner’s Facebook page or by calling the Department of Elections at (724) 852-5230.