Voter turnout for General Elections, including a presidential election, typically see higher voter turnout than other elections. Consider that 75.95% of registered voters in Bucks County participated in the November 8, 2016 General Election, while only 30.32% turned out for the November 7, 2017, Municipal Election. Given recent news about voter registration numbers and the applications for mail-in ballots, it can be assumed the same, if not greater, turnout will occur for this November election season. More registered voters engaging and participating in the Constitutionally enshrined right of voting are important to our democracy's health.
Bipartisan and historic voting reform adopted into law in Pennsylvania last year now allows for mail-in ballots for any registered voter. Bucks County election officials have been working exhaustively to make the process of counting the mail-in ballots as smooth as possible while, of course, all the safeguards for voting integrity remain in place. Voting officials learned from the exponential increase in mail-in ballots during the Primary Election. To date, the work of processing the mail-in ballots cannot begin until November 3. Bucks County officials have brought in equipment and personnel to handle the November election mailed ballots, meanwhile petitioning state legislators to allow for processing ballots ahead of Election Day, what is referred to as "pre-canvassing."
With this November election, Pennsylvania will provide postage-paid return envelopes with mail and absentee ballots and ballot drop boxes and satellite offices for voter services, which will make options to participate even safer and more accessible. Bucks County residents should anticipate another General Election of high voter turnout, even with the COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
Voters should not expect all election results to be called on Election Day. Election workers need to verify signatures on mail-in and absentee ballots to confirm validity, sort, open multiple envelopes, and finally scan the ballots. A delayed result with an increased number of mailed ballots means the system is working as it should to ensure the integrity of our election process. It remains to be seen if there will be any court challenges that could cause any delays.
It is important for every vote to be counted and every voter's voice to be heard. The League of Women Voters of Bucks County encourages candidates, media outlets, and voters to have patience and not try to 'call' the election on incomplete results. As Virginia Kase, the Chief Executive Officer of League of Women Voters of the United States, said in a recent blog post, “our democracy is worth the wait.”