LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Officials with the Luzerne County Election Bureau say it has the essentials covered for Primary Election Day.
"So much paper. Yes, we have. We have lots and lots of paper in our warehouse right now," said Emily Cook, Luzerne County's Acting Director of Elections.
Acting Director of Elections Emily Cook says the paper is already in each of the 710 printers paired with the tabulation machines inside a warehouse in Wilkes-Barre, "We do this prior to every single election to make sure that all of the machines are programmed properly, restocked, and then tested to ensure that the logic of each piece of equipment works the way that it's supposed to."
Making sure candidates selected on the screen match the ones printed on the ballot.
As elections workers test the machines, poll workers are also receiving training on how the machines will be used by voters.
"All of our poll workers are new judges of elections, and all of our returning poll workers get trained on all of the procedures. We have an in-house trainer full-time now," explained Cook.
Cook says after receiving requests to make training more accessible to volunteers, the bureau added classes on nights, weekends, and some in the southern part of the county as well so volunteers don't have to travel very far.
The biggest message the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections wants to get across to voters ahead of the Primary Election is the vote for government study commissioners.
"We are expecting the nonpartisan and third-party voters that wouldn't have been able to vote in the regular primary if we didn't have any referendum. I'm expecting some turnout from there," said Cook.
17 people are on the ballot for that referendum, so voters will need to scroll down to see all the options.
If you want to learn more about the voting process in Luzerne County ahead of the Primary Election or volunteer to work the polls, click here.