Counties prepare for unprecedented voter turnout | News, Sports, Jobs

LEWISTOWN — Mifflin and Juniata counties are bracing for what election officials expect to be unprecedented voter turnout in Tuesday’s general election, with early voting already breaking records in both counties.

Paula Hoffman, Mifflin County’s director of elections, reports distributing 5,514 mail-in ballots while processing 765 in-person early ballots — a dramatic increase from 158 early ballots in 2020.

“We had over 4,000 mail-in ballots last year, so we set a record for this year as well as in-person early voting,” Hoffman said. Her office projects an 80 percent turnout on Nov. 5, double the 40 percent typically seen in years without a presidential election.

In neighboring Juniata County, elections director Eva Wayrich anticipates at least a 70 percent turnout, compared to the usual 40 percent in off-year elections.

The presidential race is leading the polls in both counties, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz facing off against Republican rivals Donald Trump and JD Vance. Libertarian candidates Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat and Green Party nominees Jill Stein and Rudolph Ware round out the presidential race.

Both counties share competitive US Senate races between incumbent Democrat Robert P. Casey Jr. and Republican Dave McCormick, with Libertarian John C. Thomas, Green Party candidate Leila Hazou and Constitution Party nominee Marty Selker also vying for the seat.

The attorney general race presents six choices to voters: Democrat Eugene DePasquale, Republican Dave Sunday, Libertarian Robert Cowburn, Green Party candidate Richard L. Weiss, Constitution Party candidate Justin L. Magill and Forward Party candidate Eric L. Settle.

Local issues appear on Juniata County ballots through two referendum questions. Mifflintown Borough residents will decide whether to reduce their borough council from seven to five members. Walker Township voters are facing a liquor license referendum.

To manage the increase in voter turnout, electoral offices in both counties implemented additional measures. Juniata County will deploy two ballot tabulators in Fayette and Fermanagh townships, their largest precincts, along with additional poll workers. Mifflin County has added staff to polling places and will begin processing mail-in ballots at 7:30 a.m. on Election Day, with live streaming available for public viewing.

Hoffman addressed technical challenges with ballot notices, urging voters to write their email addresses clearly on the applications. “If you leave your email we can’t tell if it’s an L or a 1… make sure when you do in the future you put your email so we can read it.” she explained.

Both directors stressed the deadlines on Election Day. Postal ballots must arrive by 8pm on November 5th. Hoffman recommends using county drop boxes or hand-delivered ballots instead of relying on the mail service. Military voters get an extension until Nov. 12.

Wayrich focuses on maintaining order at polling stations. “My biggest concern … is that there is no controversy or no one causing problems for my poll workers,” she said.

Down-ballot races include contests for auditor general between Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta, Republican Tim DeFoor, Libertarian Reece Smith, American Solidarity Party candidate Eric K. Anton and Constitution Party nominee Bob Goodrich.

In the State Treasurer race, Democrat Erin McClelland, Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity, Libertarian Nickolas Ciesielski, Constitution Party candidate Troy Bowman and Forward Party candidate Chris Foster.

In the 13th Congressional District, Democrat Beth Farnham is challenging incumbent Republican John Joyce.

State legislative races vary by district. The 85th Legislative District, which covers parts of both counties, sees Democrat Nick Jacobson face Republican David H. Rowe. In the 86th Legislative District, Republican Perry A. Stambaugh is running unopposed, while in the 171st Legislative District, Republican Kerry A. Benninghoff is running alone.

Voters must completely black out the ovals using black or blue ink on their ballots. There are entry options for each race. Those who received mail-in ballots but wish to vote in person must return the mail-in ballot and envelope to poll workers to receive a regular ballot. Without giving up the postal ballot, voters can only vote provisionally at polling stations.

The increase in early voting reflects broader turnout trends in Pennsylvania for this presidential election cycle. Both counties maintain standard voting procedures while adapting to increased volume through strategic staffing and equipment deployment.

Polls open at 7am on Tuesday and close at 8pm. Voters in line until closing time can still vote. The Mifflin County Elections Office can be reached at (717) 248-6571, while the Juniata County office number is (717) 436-7706.