PENNSYLVANIA, USA — It was a busy day at the voter registration office in Northumberland County. Employees were preparing mail-in ballots for the upcoming special election.
"Everybody was able to apply for a mail-in ballot for this election like they would for a normal one, so they're preparing all of the mailing envelopes, the materials to go out until the ballots arrive. Then we will put the ballots in and send them out to the voters," said Nathan Savidge, Chief Clerk of Northumberland County.
There is a special election to replace State Senator John Gordner, who resigned from office last November to take on another role within the Senate. Gordner was in the middle of his fifth full term.
The winner of this special election will fill that term which ends in November 2024. Two candidates are on the ballot: Democrat Patricia Lawton and Republican State Representative Lynda Schlegel Culver.
"Logistically, I believe there was a libertarian who was going to come on the ballot but then didn't end up making it, so we wait for the Department of State to certify it because it's a statewide race. They certified it without the Libertarian, so we have two," Savidge said.
Savidge says employees are working hard, preparing for the special election.
"We have election staff that are working overtime. We have a lot of materials that had to be ordered, a lot of expedited shipping. We have everybody basically throwing in everything right now to make this election go off and work," Savidge said.
The 27th District includes five counties.
"We have all of Snyder, all of Northumberland, all of Montour, all of Columbia, and parts of Luzerne," Savidge said.
Voters have until January 31 to return mail-in ballots, the day of the special election.