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Meet Chelsa Wagner
As the County’s top fiscal officer, Controller Chelsa Wagner leads the fight against inefficient and inequitable spending, working to root out fraud, waste and abuse in County government.
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With mail-in ballots beginning to arrive in mailboxes in Allegheny County, keep in mind that the County will be offering ballot drop-off sites at the times and locations below. Voters can only return their own ballot at these sites.
Voters who have not requested mail-in ballots may also vote in person at these sites during the listed operating times.
Does anyone know if votes (by mail OR early in-person) are counted as received/in real-time or held until election day to be counted? Trying to figure out how to get my vote counted as early as possible. Thanks!
And who monitors if the voter is the one putting the ballot in the box?
Please everyone vote in person make sure your vote counts make all the county boxes empty
Why are we making a project out of voting we've been voting in person how many years
Thank you for the update
If you plan to vote by mail-in ballot, it is important to follow the instructions carefully to avoid having your ballot discarded. Specifically, you must enclose your ballot in BOTH the secrecy envelope and the declaration envelope, which the voter must sign. See Pittsburgh City Paper's informative rundown of the entire mail-in balloting process.
What’s a “naked ballot” and why it will lead to your Pa. mail-in ballot being rejected
www.pghcitypaper.com
Pennsylvania might have a very big problem with counting the upcoming election results, and it all could hinge on “naked ballots.” The term “naked ballot”...Yeah, especially if you're in the military and you're voting for Trump!
Just read and follow the directions!
This system only makes sense. You vote in person, you check in, are logged and sign your voter form. Then you go to the booth and enter your SECRET ballot which is later tallied and counted. Records show you voted but not who you voted for. The secrecy envelope is a necessary part of vote by mail. Your mail in ballot is entered and logged when received, validated by you signature and serial number, which is recorded to ensure one person, one vote. The secrecy envelope containing your ballot but no identifying informatiin to ensure your vote is secret, is then deposited in the proper receptacle, to be opened and recorded later, just as it would have if you voted in person and deposited your completed paper ballot into the box or used the voting machine to record your SECRET ballot. Voting by mail without the secrecy envelope is the equivalent of turning those voting booths around and letting people view your ballot as you vote or look at your paper ballot before you deposit it.
I just want to know who authorized these ballots without the legislature and is mailing them out without anyone requesting them??? breaking911.com/breaking-fbi-finds-mail-in-ballots-discarded-in-pennsylvania-all-of-them-were-cas...
Twitter
While @PghFoodBank has been absolutely indispensable in the current crisis we face, it has been a lifeline for many in our community for decades. TODAY AT 10 A.M. visit https://t.co/Fu6nCWqyme to learn about this vital organization's exciting plans for the future and how to help!
While we cannot come together in person this year, I stand with our brothers and sisters in organized labor today and every today in favor of dignity and safety in the workplace. @AlleghenyLabor @PaAFL_CIO
Facebook
With mail-in ballots beginning to arrive in mailboxes in Allegheny County, keep in mind that the County will be offering ballot drop-off sites at the times and locations below. Voters can only return their own ballot at these sites.
Voters who have not requested mail-in ballots may also vote in person at these sites during the listed operating times.
Does anyone know if votes (by mail OR early in-person) are counted as received/in real-time or held until election day to be counted? Trying to figure out how to get my vote counted as early as possible. Thanks!
And who monitors if the voter is the one putting the ballot in the box?
Please everyone vote in person make sure your vote counts make all the county boxes empty
Why are we making a project out of voting we've been voting in person how many years
Thank you for the update
If you plan to vote by mail-in ballot, it is important to follow the instructions carefully to avoid having your ballot discarded. Specifically, you must enclose your ballot in BOTH the secrecy envelope and the declaration envelope, which the voter must sign. See Pittsburgh City Paper's informative rundown of the entire mail-in balloting process.
What’s a “naked ballot” and why it will lead to your Pa. mail-in ballot being rejected
www.pghcitypaper.com
Pennsylvania might have a very big problem with counting the upcoming election results, and it all could hinge on “naked ballots.” The term “naked ballot”...Yeah, especially if you're in the military and you're voting for Trump!
Just read and follow the directions!
This system only makes sense. You vote in person, you check in, are logged and sign your voter form. Then you go to the booth and enter your SECRET ballot which is later tallied and counted. Records show you voted but not who you voted for. The secrecy envelope is a necessary part of vote by mail. Your mail in ballot is entered and logged when received, validated by you signature and serial number, which is recorded to ensure one person, one vote. The secrecy envelope containing your ballot but no identifying informatiin to ensure your vote is secret, is then deposited in the proper receptacle, to be opened and recorded later, just as it would have if you voted in person and deposited your completed paper ballot into the box or used the voting machine to record your SECRET ballot. Voting by mail without the secrecy envelope is the equivalent of turning those voting booths around and letting people view your ballot as you vote or look at your paper ballot before you deposit it.
I just want to know who authorized these ballots without the legislature and is mailing them out without anyone requesting them??? breaking911.com/breaking-fbi-finds-mail-in-ballots-discarded-in-pennsylvania-all-of-them-were-cas...
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has been absolutely indispensable in the current crisis we face, and a lifeline for many in our community for decades. TODAY AT 10 A.M.., visit growsharethrive.org/ to learn about this vital organization's exciting plans for the future and how you can help!
Today is #NationalVoterRegistrationDay! Still need to register for the November General Election? Don't wait. Register online at votespa.com today.
Already registered? Double check your registration at votespa.com to make sure you are ready for November.
Prefer to vote by mail-in ballot? Request your ballot today at votespa.com.
The Allegheny County Board of Elections has approved satellite voting and ballot drop-off times and locations around the County. See the list below and a helpful FAQ courtesy Board member Bethany Hallam, Allegheny County Council, At Large.Today's Allegheny County Board of Elections meeting contained LOTS of useful information and answers to (hopefully) ALL of your General Election questions! We voted unanimously to approve 8 satellite voting locations - complete with drop boxes, too (picture of locations posted below) - and to increase the pay of poll workers & constables to $200.
I did by best to take notes at today's meeting and typed up what I hope is a helpful Q & A based off of questions I received by phone, e-mail, social media, and weekly co-governing elections sessions. If you have any additional questions that I might've missed, please feel free to drop them in the comments below!
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ELECTIONS 2020 Q & A
Q1: Can you void a mail-in ballot request at a satellite voting location?
A1: No. There will be no spoiling or cancelling of mail-in ballots or provisional voting at these locations. The locations will each have drop boxes to return ONLY YOUR OWN completed mail-in ballot.
Q2: I signed up to be a poll worker, but I haven’t heard back yet. Is that normal? What can I expect?
A2: 6600 poll workers are needed. Only 3500 have been scheduled for training and poll assignments. Elections Division is catching up on scheduling, but has received enough requests to staff all locations. You will receive a letter in the mail. If selected, you and the rest of the poll workers & constables on Election Day will be paid $200 for your service. This increase in pay is being funded by CARES Act money.
Q3: Can you register to vote at a satellite voting location?
A3: No. If you have not yet registered to vote but want to vote at one of these locations, you must do so online or by mail ahead of time. Once your application has been approved (which you can check the status of online at votespa.com), only then may you vote at a satellite location.
Q4: When will mail-in ballots start being sent out? When can you start showing up to Elections Division to vote in-person absentee?
A4: Both of these things will start happening within 7-10 days from today. Although the Department of State certified the ballots today, we still need to approve ballots for each district and then print them before they are ready.
Q5: How will the drop boxes at each satellite location be secured? How often will they be emptied?
A5: The drop boxes will no actually ever be, but boxes will be switched out as they fill up. Drop boxes will be padlocked and marked. In secrecy envelope and signed declaration envelope
Q6: How does in-person absentee voting at the satellite locations work? What is the process?
A6: Fill out the application. Go to someone to check SURE system to be sure you haven’t already voted (system updated in real time!) Process app. Print ballot for your district. Go to privacy booth to hand-mark paper ballot. Place own ballot into secure locked ballot box
Q7: When will a list of polling locations be finalized?
A7: We are required to finalize this list 2 weeks prior to Election Day. You can check the updated list at www.alleghenycounty.us/elections/in-person-voting.aspx
Q8: Are all of the polling locations going to be open? How will I know where to vote on Election Day?
A8: All polling locations will be open! As of today there are 38 precincts whose locations have told us we cannot have a location there (most in city of Pittsburgh), but this number increases and decreases almost daily! Every voter will be mailed a postcard informing them of where to vote.
Q9: When will poll worker training start? What does it look like?
A9: The first training class was 9/11. There will be 174 24-student trainings. It is 2.5 hours long. Judge of Elections, Minority & Majority Inspectors will train in-person. Additional poll workers will do an online training. Only in-person training will be paid. Online training will be a powerpoint. In-person training will also include an in-person voting machine demonstration. Elections Division website will post updated poll worker manual as soon as it is finalized. Training will also spend time explaining spoiling of ballots and provisional ballots.
Q10: What does the in-person voting process look like at the polls on Election Day?
A10: Poll workers will be provided plenty of PPE, and social distancing requirements will be in place. Check in with the first poll worker, your name will be verified in the poll book which will be printed after the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot (Oct. 27th!). If you applied for a mail-in ballot but want to vote in-person, you must request a provisional ballot because you will have already been marked as “voted” even if you never returned your ballot. If you applied for a mail-in ballot and bring the ENTIRE contents of the ballot to the poll, unmarked, you will be able to have your ballot “spoiled” and vote in-person, without a provisional ballot. Once you receive your ballot, you will darken the ovals of your selections, then take your ballot to the DS200 ballot scanner and scan your own ballot to be counted. Each polling location will also have a ballot marking device to assist folks who are unable to mark their ballot on their own.
Q11: How many ballot applications have been processes as of today? Is there a backlog? How quickly can mail-in ballots be processed?
A11: As of noon today, 271,680 applications have been processed. Online applications were processed first. There is a backlog of paper applications currently. Online applications going forward will be processed same day. Once ballots are sent out, you can expect same day processing of ballots received, as they are being returned directly to the Elections Division warehouse.
Q12: How many registered voters are there as of today compared to how many there were in the Primary?
A12: As of today, there are about 912,000 registered voters in Allegheny County, compares to about 899,000 in the Primary.
Q13: Can my mail-in ballot be denied due to variations in my signature?
A13: Department of State put out guidance saying Elections Division workers were not trained handwriting experts, and that they are not to deny ballots due to quality of signature on declaration envelope. Act 77 (that legislated no-excuse mail-in voting in PA) does not allow challenges outside of Elections Division. Elections Division is seeking further parameters from Department of State on what could potentially disqualify a signature, as their orders seemed to “water down” signature requirements.
Q14: If my mail-in ballot is denied for any reason, how will I know?
A14: If there is no signature, the ballot will be set aside. There is a function of the state SURE system to scan the voter’s barcoded envelope and send an email and letter to any voter whose ballot is set aside for any reason, and that function will be used for the first time in the General Election. The ballot tracker system at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx will show this declined status as well so that you have time to vote via another method.
Q15: What is the security in place for the warehouse housing the mail-in ballots?
A15: The county purchased a ew sorting machine with a timestamp that opens envelopes. Employees working double shifts will feed ballots into the sorter to scan barcodes on ballots coming in and get credit for voting. There is a 30 camera security system with stored information. There are security cages to see stored ballots. There will also be 24/7 in-person security on the facility.
Q16: How quickly will ballots be counted and when will counting of mail-in ballots begin?
A16: As we did in the Primary, mail-in ballots will begin to be counted by 200 workers at 7am when the polls open. 100,000 secrecy envelopes will be opened per hour. We purchased 2 addition DS850 scanners for a total of 10 high speed ballot scanners that can count 40,000 ballots per hour. It is possible that ballots will be counted even quicker than in the Primary.
Q17: Will we be utilizing a 3rd party mailing company to assist with the mailing of mail-in ballots like we did in the Primary?
A17: Yes. We will extract files from sure system of everyone applied and send them to a company called Midwest Direct. They have requested one file per day. They will print, fold, & stuff ballots in envelopes and mail them to voters.
Q18: When do mail-in ballots have to be received by in order to be counted?
A18: Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received on or before 5pm on Nov. 6th to be counted. Sometimes mail gets through without postmark, and this is not the voter’s fault so ballots received through USPS without a postmark will be counted as long as they are received by Nov. 6th
Wtf is satellite voting. Why aren't you opening up my polling place. Y'all are trying to STEAL this election.
How about opening up more polling places. If you can go to Walmart, you can vote in person! The covid numbers don't show why we can't. Just ask the federal judge in Pittsburgh
I have completely lost trust in ALL democratics.
Twitter
While @PghFoodBank has been absolutely indispensable in the current crisis we face, it has been a lifeline for many in our community for decades. TODAY AT 10 A.M. visit https://t.co/Fu6nCWqyme to learn about this vital organization's exciting plans for the future and how to help!
While we cannot come together in person this year, I stand with our brothers and sisters in organized labor today and every today in favor of dignity and safety in the workplace. @AlleghenyLabor @PaAFL_CIO
To celebrate #WomensEqualityDay, check your voter registration and request your mail-in ballot at !
The dedicated professionals of @PGNewsGuild perform an essential service for our citizens, and they deserve respect. @PittsburghPG should fire its union-busting law firm and resume meaningful negotiations.
Read my entire statement on this weekend's unwarranted actions against a peaceful protestor: https://t.co/q7PhIsxhgC
My audit shows the County Jail food service provider failing to respond to complaints while charging inmates up to $20 for specialty menu items. The County earning a commission from this practice runs counter to its commitments on reducing incarceration.
WAGNER’S AUDIT SHOWS INHERENT CONFLICT IN JAIL FOOD SERVICE, SALES - Allegheny County
(Pittsburgh) July 28, 2020 The growing focus on the injustices caused by mass incarceration in the United States has also shed light on the signif...
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This settlement is an important acknowledgement of the irresponsible denials of the health threat as Pittsburgh's lead-water crisis came to light. I am pleased to have helped bring these issues to the attention of the public and the Attorney General.
PWSA, state Attorney General's Office reach settlement in lead contamination case
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority will pay $500,000 to settle charges it negligently exposed its customers to high levels of lead in drinking w...
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Given that the County has paid IT contractor Deloitte more than $150 million for DHS projects since 2003, the failure to elicit greater detail on its invoices creates the potential for significant overpayments. READ MORE:
WAGNER’S AUDIT URGES HUMAN SERVICES DEPT. TO REQUIRE GREATER TRANSPARENCY FROM CONTRACTOR - Allegheny County
Given that the County has paid Deloitte more than $150 million for DHS projects since 2003, the County’s failure to elicit greater detail on its...
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“The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.”
— James Baldwin, “Nobody Knows My Name”
Need help finding your consolidated polling location? Use our @BallotReady tool at . Just enter your address and choose your party ballot. Click the "Find out how to vote" button to find your polling location.
