Reply #13: PA: County to cut voting precincts

[flashl]

BY BEN WOLFGANG
STAFF WRITER
Published: Sunday, July 13, 2008 4:24 AM EDT

Forty-five county polling sites are on the chopping block.

“I think all of the commissioners feel there are too many precincts in Schuylkill County,” county Commissioner Frank J. Staudenmeier said last week.

The commissioners, along with election bureau Director Elizabeth Dries, voiced support for a “reconfiguration” of the county’s 167 voting precincts, citing extremely low turnout at some locations and overwhelming turnout at others.

However, officials said there is no chance of the consolidation being completed in time for November’s presidential election, largely due to pending state and county judicial approval of the plans.

The most recent estimates, according to Dries, would reduce the number of polling places to 122. Shenandoah Borough would be most affected, with 11 polling sites potentially cut down to five.

Republican Herald