Election Protection with Rural Drop Boxes

Action Together NEPA Secures Voting Access

A few weeks before the 2024 election, voters were preparing to cast their ballots in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Then the Luzerne county manager unilaterally decided the Board of Elections-approved drop boxes would not be deployed.

Organizing across the county

Action Together NEPA (ATNEPA) sprang into action. They organized constituents to deliver public comments at County Council and Board of Elections meetings, collected over 400 petition signatures, and held a press conference with legislators describing the importance of drop boxes. Finally, ATNEPA filed a lawsuit in partnership with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. In response to the increased pressure, the county manager reversed her decision, and the drop boxes were deployed.

The importance of electoral access

Drop boxes are critical for rural residents. Rural postal routes face challenges receiving and sending mail regularly, and in Pennsylvania ballots must be received by the voter’s county elections office on election day, not postmarked by election day. Drop boxes provide voters a secure way to ensure their mail ballots arrive on time. ATNEPA’s commitment to protecting the election and their organizing efforts were key to increasing turnout in Luzerne County. Increased voter participation resulted in the re-election of Jim Haddock and Eddie Day Pashinski, both important seats for maintaining the Pennsylvania State House majority.

In 2022 Luzerne County was forced to settle a federal lawsuit regarding ballot paper shortages, which disenfranchised voters. The 2024 battle over drop boxes was the latest installment in a multi-year campaign by anti-democratic local elected officials to undermine faith in Pennsylvania elections. This fight is not over, but ATNEPA will continue to stand for a pro-democracy agenda and ensure all voices are heard in elections.