POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Election day is almost here, and election workers moved the final voting equipment into place at 125 precincts in Schuylkill County.
But with universal mail-in voting still an option this year, many ballots are already in the possession of county officials.
"It's changed a lot with regard to all the rules and regulations that go along with it," said Albert Gricoski, director of Schuylkill County's Election Bureau. "Making sure that people are in compliance with how they apply, making sure they sign and date the back of it."
A surge in mail-in votes overwhelmed elections officials a year ago.
This time around, more than 6,400 voters applied for mail-in ballots in Schuylkill County; some 4,800 have been returned.
It's a much easier task for Gricoski's team.
"All lot less hectic than what we had seen last year at this same time," said Gricoski. "It's a comparison of 20,000 mail-in votes compared to our 6,000 this year."
Those ballots are held in elections offices before elections officials start to open envelopes on election morning.
"We'll be able to pre-canvas them, and then the results will be ready to go tomorrow evening," said Gricoski.
Gricoski said voting machines have been delivered to all precincts, and volunteers are lined up to work the polls as residents file in to make their voices heard.
"We have so many different communities that will have, whether it be a school board races, contested township race. We have judge races this time, the state superior court and Supreme Court. So a lot of people have interests that'll bring out the vote," said Gricoski.
Mail-in ballots must be submitted before the polls close at 8 p.m.
The last election's coverage is below.