LEBANON, Pa. — Last week, Lebanon County removed the only ballot drop box location in the county ahead of the 2024 primaries.
"It's creating a problem that isn't happening," said Jo Ellen Litz, a Democratic Lebanon County commissioner.
Litz said the ballot drop box at the Lebanon County Courthouse was a welcome addition in 2020, giving voters another option to cast their ballots without the health risks of human contact.
Operating during business hours before being locked up at night, the Democrat said it was popular with both parties.
"We had 3,000 of 8,000 voters use that drop box in the last election," she said. "40% of those were Republicans. I feel it's 100% more secure than a United States Postal service box.
Until now, voters could drop of their mail-in ballots in a box which sat outside of the Lebanon County Courthouse with three cameras trained on it and a security guard sitting right inside the glass doors behind it. Two Republican commissioners felt that security wasn't enough.
"By video you can see somebody maybe putting more than one in there, but you don't know which ones they are once they are in," said Rob Phillips, Republican Lebanon County commissioner and chairman of the board.
Republican Commissioner Rob Phillips voted this week to remove the lone ballot drop box from the courthouse, saying he wants to eliminate what he calls a cynicism around elections by eliminating what he views as a weak spot.
"The issue of vulnerability of that box doesn't go away even with the cameras and with the signage," Phillips said. "The volume is going to be greater in this presidential cycle. This was the time to do it."
"It is somewhat secure, the drop box the way we had it. In my opinion, it is not as secure as it could be," said Michael Kuhn, a Republican Lebanon County commissioner.
Kuhn supported the move as well, concerned about ballot harvesting.
In Pennsylvania it's illegal to submit a ballot for anyone other than yourself, unless you fill out the proper paperwork to become a designated agent.
Commissioner Litz points out that since 1994, there's been just one case of double voting in the commonwealth. She said removing the drop box will force voters who run out of time to mail-in their ballot to hand them in at the voter registrar, leading to delays.
"We already anticipate because of past elections, 45 minute waits in line down the hallway," Litz said.
"It's going to place a hurdle and I don't want to do that, but again I think the more important factor in my decision was how secure is it?" Kuhn added.
Kuhn said he's open to other solutions, suggesting the county could offer a ballot drop box or drop off location as long as there's an attendant present.
In response to this story, a spokesperson from the Pennsylvania Department of State said "The Department of State encourages counties to provide secure and accessible mail ballot return options, such as drop boxes, for their voters. However, county boards of elections have the discretion to choose whether to provide mail ballot drop boxes for any given election."