As a Lancaster County commissioner, I want to discuss election security in Lancaster County, especially as we near the Nov. 5 presidential election.
You may have read the article (“Pa. group sees voter fraud ‘war’ ”) in last week’s Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline about several folks from Lancaster County taking part in online meetings devoted to claims that our election process is shaky at best and nefariously easy to tamper with at worst. I want to make sure that, as we approach Election Day, you have the real facts from someone who’s up close to the process and familiar with the folks behind the scenes working to collect and count your votes.
Prior to being elected county commissioner last year, I served as a poll greeter for decades in West Hempfield Township, where I live. Not once in all of those years did I see anything even approaching dishonesty or underhandedness — only neighbors greeting one another on the way to exercise their duty for democracy. Even now in the tense times we are in, I’ve seen no one act unkindly to one another as they go to vote.
Now, as one of three county commissioners responsible for the election process here in Lancaster County, I have a front-row seat to observe how our county administers elections.
County commissioners play a key role in the management of elections in Pennsylvania, with each county having responsibility to conduct elections fairly and securely. As commissioners, we oversee this process as the three members of the Lancaster County Board of Elections. It’s our task to ensure that elections are conducted to the highest possible standards.
In the first six months in my role at the county, I have made a particular point to meet with, get to know and observe the staff in each department of the county, including of course the Voter Registration & Board of Elections Office. I sit in on meetings and listen to staff as they prepare the hundreds of thousands of ballots for hundreds of polling places across the county, train volunteers and elected polling place staff, and coordinate all of the moving parts that make our elections run smoothly.
I went the night before the April primary election to see how things were set up and what processes are in place to make Election Day run. Volunteers and staff meet at the Lancaster County Government Center elections office and then disperse to the polling places, staying up late to set up and test all equipment. In the morning, volunteers and staff return to their designated polling places and work more than 15 hours, ensuring that your votes can be cast and are counted.
I spent primary day itself watching the setup and management process at the county headquarters from 6:30 a.m. until about lunch time. I met volunteers who have contributed to this process for decades. They got involved years before the political atmosphere became as fraught as it is now, and they do tireless and careful work to prepare for election days. They are motivated by service to democracy, not by any particular ideology.
Later that day, after voting in my home precinct, I traveled around the county to see how things were operating at the polling places.
At each and every polling place I visited, I found our judges of election, inspectors and others working diligently, being professional and impartial. Many counties in our commonwealth struggle to find volunteers for their elections, but Lancaster County is lucky to have many experienced volunteers who have served year after year to make sure our elections run smoothly, following all processes carefully and to the letter. I am so deeply grateful for the dedication of the staff at the county elections office and the many volunteers who have been enlisted for this important work.
Those who cast doubt on the integrity of our elections have an agenda. They seek to sow mistrust not just in our elections, but in government itself. I urge you to dissect their spurious claims carefully and when you do, you’ll see the motivation behind them is ill-intentioned.
The reality is that our county government employees are tireless public servants who work for the common good, not for partisan gain or advancement. These are your neighbors, whose kids go to school with yours, who worship with you, whose interest in our community is just as bound up in its success as yours.
Let me be clear — Lancaster County’s elections are secure. We have multilayered processes in place that ensure your vote is collected and counted carefully. Our staff members are professionals who oversee well-trained and dedicated volunteers. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something and I caution you strongly not to buy it. Your vote here is safe.
Alice Yoder, a Democrat, was elected to the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners in November 2023 and began her four-year term in January 2024. She was previously the executive director of community health at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.
