CENTRE COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — Now that its recent lawsuit has been resolved, Centre County officials are finally certifying the primary election.
The Centre County election board on Tuesday finally certified last month's primary election results after a legal challenge over mail-in ballots was dismissed in court.
Officials say it is too soon to say if the issues raised in the suit regarding how mail-in ballots are dated could have an impact in the November election.
“That will be something the board will have to discuss in the future.”
In a statement to 6 News, local Senator Cris Dush provided the following statement regarding the certification of the election results.
Today’s Centre County Election Board meeting was worse than disappointing. Over 90 ballots were included in the certification of the Primary Election that were clearly prohibited ballots under the law. Whether it was the PA Supreme Court’s decision to allow them in September 2020, a decision we forced them to reverse, county solicitors instructing Election Boards to violate the law (as was done in the Centre County case) or the Secretary of State or County Boards certifying unlawful ballots, it creates confusion and angst in the electorate. Both the PA Supreme Court’s reversal and the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals make it clear these ballots are not to be counted. I will be seeking a writ of mandamus from the Commonwealth Court to each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties and the Secretary of State prohibiting the certification of any election where unlawful ballots are counted. It appears the only way we can get teeth in the application of law nowadays. The Centre County Court did not rule on the legality of the ballots. The petitioners had difficulty finding an attorney who understood this area of law and the delay caused the timeline to be busted. The ruling was on the timeliness, not the merits.The county commissioners also recently approved a state grant of just over $5,100 for the county election office.
“This grant is for security issues. So, we can use it for any computer-related things we may need. We can use it for additional education for voters. There are various issues this can be used for.”
The state support could free up county funding to pay for more staffing in the election office in November, if the personnel are needed.
“Right now, I think we have the staffing, but it all depends on how things are looking in August and September.”
According to figures announced Tuesday, there are just over 101-thousand registered voters in Centre County.
ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfmLKvwNGeZJynpaPBunnCnqmtoZaesrR5z6ugppmirnqmuMScq6KnnmK%2Fpr%2FUpausZZGbwaa%2BjKWcoJmcYrCprculnKeflWLEor%2BMnaCspZmowKaw