Erie County, PA Faces Challenges with Mail Ballots and Voting Systems in 2024 General Election

In the 2024 General Election, Erie County, Pennsylvania, has encountered several challenges related to mail ballots and voting systems. As of Election Day, November 5, 2024, the county was still awaiting the return of more than 7,500 mail ballots, due to delays in their distribution. The county had hired a third-party vendor to print and mail the ballots, but thousands of voters had not received their ballots by early November.

The delays led to a lawsuit by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, joined by the state Republican Party, resulting in a state court order for the local board of elections to overnight ballots to out-of-state voters, extend weekend office hours, and order additional paper ballots for voters to use on Election Day. By 7 a.m. on Election Day, 34,586 mail ballots, or 82% of those requested, had been returned.

Voters who did not receive their mail ballots were given the option to cast a provisional ballot at their designated polling site. The Erie County Board of Elections also set up drop boxes at the Voter Registration Office and outside the County Courthouse, with free 15-minute parking available to facilitate the return of mail ballots.

In addition to the mail ballot issues, voters in Erie County used various voting systems on Election Day. Some voters used the Dominion Imagecast X to mark their ballots electronically, while others used hand-marked paper ballots. All voters used the ImageCast Precinct Scanner to cast their completed ballots.

The county also implemented measures to ensure accessibility, including the use of assistive devices such as the audio tactile interface (ATI) controller, dual switch paddles, and sip-and-puff devices for voters with disabilities.

The Erie County Board of Elections extended its office hours and set up a phone line for voters with disabilities or illnesses who could not visit the office in person. This was part of an effort to address the logistical challenges and ensure that all voters could participate in the election.