Election Day went “very smoothly” in Adams County, Commissioner Randy Phiel said Tuesday evening after polls closed.
Phiel serves as chairman of the Adams County Board of Elections. Commissioner Jim Martin and Franklin Township citizen Vickie Corbett also comprise the board. Corbett is sitting in for Commissioner Marty Qually, who is unable to serve due to running for the 91st District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Phiel visited county polling sites while Corbett, a Democrat, and Martin, a Republican, spent their day watching mail-in ballots be counted. State law dictates one election judge from each party be present while votes are counted.
“Almost every poll had lines when they opened this morning. It was consistent flow all day,” Phiel said.
Phiel said he suspects turnout will be about 60 percent.
Phiel said about 11,000 residents requested mail-in ballots and about 10,000 returned them as of 3 p.m., Tuesday. Mail-in ballots could be returned to the courthouse until 8 p.m.
The Republican commissioner added mail-in ballots helped prevent long lines at the county’s 50 poll sites
“Because of all of the mail-ins, we do not have all of the pressure at the polls,” Phiel said.
Tuesday’s election was the second time the county had poll workers pull up to the courthouse so employees could remove the ballots from their cars. In previous years, poll workers had to park and bring the boxes inside themselves. The system was designed to speed-up the counting process.
Elections results will be posted online at www.adamscounty.us. The county updates the site after sets of 10 precincts are counted
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.