Election results certified in Lawrence County
Nov. 29—Lawrence County's Nov. 8 election results are officially certified.
The county's election board unanimously certified the results of the general election during its meeting Monday.
The election board consists of the three county commissioners — Chairman Morgan Boyd, Dan Vogler and Loretta Spielvogel.
Elections Director Tim Germani said a 2-percent audit was conducted, in which the results were accurate, and all 71 provisional ballots cast on the day of the election have been addressed.
He said due to a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, 19 mail-in ballots that were either undated or incorrectly dated were not counted, but were still kept and placed to the side.
The official results of the election will be available on the county's website, lawrencecountypa.gov.
The three commissioners thanked Germani and all the elections office staff for their hard work before, during and after the election.
"You continue to perform admirably," Boyd said. "I know I'm confident in the results of the election."
Vogler said unlike the last two elections, there was no state-mandated recount for any race. Boyd and Spielvogel said the office works hard throughout the year, not just on the primary election and general election nights.
Boyd reiterated the role of the county's election board is to make sure the county has a safe and fair election, and that the county follows the state's election code.
He said it is up to the state to determine the processes for an election.
Residents with concerns over how an election should be conducted need to contact their state legislators.
"We are legally bound to follow the state's election code," Boyd said.
Germani said the office is already preparing for the next election when voters take to the polls on May 16 for the primary. Races in the primary include mayors, city council and school boards.
Germani said in January notices will be sent out to residents asking if they would like to register to receive permanent mail-in ballots.
There will also be notices for residents who have not voted in five years, those who are in danger of getting their voter registration canceled after not voting in two consecutive federal elections and address verification notices.
Nominating petitions will begin for the primary the second week of February.