Drop box controversy in Pennsylvania expands into lawsuit and court case

A controversy on who has authority over drop boxes, used for mail-in and absentee balloting, is unfolding in northeastern Pennsylvania. It pits the Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo versus the county Board of Elections and Registration, as well as a group of citizens.

Crocamo has announced she will prevent all four of the county's drop boxes from being deployed and used in the November election. Three residents of the county have now filed a lawsuit against her, claiming that the county manager does not have the authority to do that.

The plaintiffs say the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration had planned to use four drop boxes to accept ballots. The suit claims the same board, earlier this year, voted against a plan to eliminate drop boxes.

The lawsuit accuses Crocamo of violating state election law and says it will harm voting rights. The citizens are urging a county judge to stop her. Crocamo told The Associated Press that she is not making any public comments about the litigation.

The ACLU of Pennsylvania said she has no authority to pull what it calls "an end run around the Board of Elections." The ACLU calls drop boxes a safe and easy option to vote by mail. It wants the four boxes to be restored and available in Luzerne County.

In addition, a nonprofit voting rights group in northeastern Pennsylvania, says there have been no substantiated cases of fraud involving drop boxes in the county.

Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in the presidential election. It also has an important U.S. Senate race.

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