A northeastern Pennsylvania county has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit regarding ballot paper shortages that occurred during the 2022 election. Luzerne County agreed to ensure an adequate supply of paper for future elections as part of the settlement with two voters who were unable to vote due to the shortages. The county will also pay $30,000 for litigation expenses and provide training for election workers on the importance of ordering sufficient paper.
The lawsuit, filed in March 2023, argued that the chaos on Election Day was preventable and largely due to inadequate training. Polling places ran out of paper, forcing election officials to turn away voters or ask them to return later, only to be denied the right to vote again. The issues led to a delay in reporting election results, with some polling locations resorting to emergency or provisional ballots to continue voting.
In a letter from Luzerne County’s lawyer in August, it was mentioned that ballot paper shortages had not occurred in the county during the four elections held in the past two years. Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce investigated the shortages in June 2023 and found no evidence of criminal activity, attributing the problems to inexperienced supervisors.
The settlement marks a resolution to the legal dispute surrounding the 2022 election in Luzerne County, which has seen fluctuations in voting practices over recent years. The agreement seeks to address the issues that arose during the election and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Voters and officials alike hope that these measures will ensure a smoother voting process in upcoming elections.