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Recipes
 People Above Politics
Taking
Action, Getting Results.
Lebanon PA 17046
644-4698
If you demand open government, appreciate
written highlights within hours after a meeting, like the 24/7 access to YouTube
videos of meetings..., drop me a note to receive email
alerts that let you know how commissioners
vote on issues. Litz@mbcomp.com
Thank you for your help and support
during this campaign. Your unwavering commitment is
the wind beneath my wings.
On election day, every vote matters. You
matter! And I can't win this race without you.
These
past four years, it has been an honor and a privilege to represent
all of the people of Lebanon County as your commissioner.
Please consider volunteering today
Jo Ellen Litz
Thank
you for your support of my campaign, and for all that you do.
Sincerely, Jo Ellen
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Honorary Chair: Lt.
Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll --a woman who broke the glass ceiling and
contributed greatly to PA politics; born
in 1930, died
November 12, 2008.
People Above Politics
Treasurer: Richelle Whitman
Or, visit
YouTube
posts of Commissioner's and other meetings:
http://www.youtube.com/user/joellenlitz
0:31
Web site paid for by Jo Ellen Litz.
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Comments
Returned on the January 2006 Precinct Survey
NO CHANGES. I'M HAPPY
WITH MY PRECINCT:
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All seems to run efficiently. If we have to change, I
choose 2007 to allow more time to consider all options. In general,
combining a number of polling places is bound to disenfranchise some voters.
No matter where the combined polling place is located, a number of voters will
have to travel (walk) farther to get there and simply will not do so. |
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Carlton Square is next door and should not be changed.
Poll watchers harass voters and are standing within 10' of entrance to
building. Request that they be kept back, at least in the parking lot. |
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Look at the Northern part of the County. There does
not seem to be any reason to rush into this project. Take your time and
make sure you do it right. Should be sure that locations have ample
parking. |
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Wish to keep
people close to their voting place.
I don't really
want a change. |
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This feels very rushed to me. We have no clue what may get re-done next year
and the voters, in this case, are our customers. Has anyone taken a survey of
the super-voters for their feedback?
For
clarification, everyone who responded looks like they are super voters. |
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I appreciate having the smaller precinct.
Because it is in my immediate community, and because I am not inconvenienced,
standing and waiting in long lines in a bigger precinct. I vote every year,
every election. I am very satisfied and comfortable with my polling
place. I am in favor in updating the polling machines.
If need be, 2007 will allow time to educate,
time to adjust, and time for some to accept change. |
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If polling places are more than
1500 or more then the polling places
should be changed to allow more even distribution of voters. This should be
done county wide with the implementation of the new voting machines. To
"correct" the city and not the county ( I was looking at Jackson twp.3100++)
would not be fair to all voters. I realize
that certain elected positions makes this a challenge, but it would be better
if people could get into vote without waiting a long
time, also it doesn't seem fair to the poll workers to have some that have few
voters and others where that may be stressed due to high numbers. |
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The location is
convenient and I haven't had any problems as far as standing in line for too
long.
For me, the advantage is that the location
will remain the same and convenient for me. I'm sure that this may not be the
same for everyone, so if the precinct is divided due
to majority demand and need, I will understand. |
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Cost to tax payer. |
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Most of the people in our little community
don't take change very well, and we would have the opportunity to gently
prepare them for the disruption. It works.
It appears from the numbers that we should be increasing the number of
polling places rather than combining them. Is the savings worth the change?
In terms of economy and efficiency I don't think so. |
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I don't want lines, and I like the small
(neighborhood) precincts. Also, change of voting places loses a few voters,
and we can use all we can get. There are various ways to accommodate the
handicapped without letting that dictate our voting places. Saving
$2,400/year just isn't good enough reason to move voting farther away
from voters when we have such low turnouts as things are! |
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change, then I prefer later (2007). Let's not have a change of technology at
the same time as a change of location. And more races are at stake in 2006
(state house and senate, US congress, etc. |
| I think it will inhibit voter turn
out. If there is a line people will not wait to vote._ |
| 2007 will give more time for voter education. |
| Central location - why change it? Everyone knows where
it's at, it's easy to get to (for the voters), and it's easy to get to for the
volunteers. |
| I enjoy the precinct where I vote and have
never had to wait more than a few minutes, if that. |
| I have voted at Friendship Fire Company since
I was 18 and enjoy seeing my neighbors and precinct workers. I am now age 50. |
| Our present location is central to the township and
easily accessible. The poll workers have always run an efficient operation
even in times of hotly-contested races where a majority of voters participate. |
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walking distance for
voters especially Sr. Citizens |
| Economy of scale; minimal problem with lines at
this point; do not foresee marked increase in
voters
within boro. |
| It's the only time it feels like a
community - and the space can handle it._____ |
| 1200 seems like a small number for a cap in a
precinct.___What are consequences in PA code for
having precincts larger than 1200 -- as you stated 31
in Leb. County are over that cap?
Answer: Section 2703 of the Elections Code
states: Upon the petition of twenty registered electors of any
township, borough, ward, or election district, to the court of the proper
county, praying for the division or redivision of such "entity," or for the
alteration of the bounds of any election district, or for the formation of one
or more election districts out of two or more existing election districts, or
parts thereof for the consolidation of adjoining election districts, the said
court shall refer the said petition to the county board of elections, which
shall make a full investigation of the facts, and shall report to the court
its findings and recommendations as to the division, redivision, alteration,
formation or consolidation of election districts prayed for... to promote the
convenience of electors and the public interests...." |
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Too much confusion already for poll workers, elections
office and voters with the new electronic machines. |
Having looked at the precinct maps I have some
problems with what is being proposed. The split of
one middle doesn't bother me so much, but the precinct
3/6 and 4/5W mergers leave a lot to be desired.
Seniors in the Willow Terrace at 8th and Willow and at
Marketplace at 550 Willow Street would less able to
vote with the voting location at the Middle School.
We would lose a lot of...senior (disabled and
handicapped) votes particularly from Willow Terrace.
It would be more equitable if a place closer to those
buildings could be established such as the community
room at the Lebanon Community Library. Also, it would
be too far a walk for those people at the northern end
(north of Mifflin Steet). As those voters are
actually closer to the 10th Ward Maple Steet location
it might be better to merge a few of the northernmost
streets into the tenth ward. If these things were
done it would remove any of my objections for the 4/5W
merger as to the location.
As far as the 3/6 merger goes, the voting place at
Stevens Towers is not ideal. It is in the southeast
corner of the new precinct to be formed. Some
individuals with no transportation would have to walk
almost a mile and a half each way. This would
disenfranchise current precinct 6 voters who tend to
primarily come out only for Presidential elections. On
the other hand, moving the locations from Stevens
Towers means that we will lose a few of the...seniors
who vote regularly for each election. I think the
location would have to be moved somewhere closer to
the center of the new precinct. Somewhere in the
vicinity of 10th and 12th Streets, close to the
railroad. I think the ideal spot would be where the
old school used to be that is now a Spanish church
around 10th and Church Streets. We would still lose
some...votes under this circumstance, but the
votes lost would be less. Relocating the voting
location to the center of the new precinct would
remove my objection to it.
Assuming the changes of voting location I mentioned
were made, it would likely only drop turnout by 15 to
25 votes during a Presidential election and double
that in an off-year, which would be more tolerable.
Also, one must remember that some of these precincts
may already be using Spanish language ballots. Others
may be close to the government required percentage to
do so. Any dilution of this would mean that Spanish
ballots would no longer be necessary and minority...votes
could be lost. Therefore, if precincts are merged
there should be a directive passed by the County
Commissioners directing the Voter Registration Office
to have Spanish language ballots available for these
new merged precincts even if they are not required by
federal law....
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I am worried about doing the change at the
same time as the new voting machines.
It is only about 3 months before the Primary and we still do not know what
machine will be selected. The state drug its feet certifying the machines.
Time is needed to train the users. |
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Precinct works well the
way it is. No need to change. There are
already too many changes this year with new voting machines. One thing at a
time. Polling place functions very
efficiently. |
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It never seems to be that
crowded, but would not object if it was split up.
Give time to study and do a
consolidated analysis across the county. |
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The size is quite accommodating. I have
never, but 1 time, stood in a line to vote. Just because we have over 1200
does not mean they all come out to vote.
We could accommodate
another into us if you would desire to have the poll workers do a lot more on
slow voting days, plus then there could be more workers as they would be
shifted for busier ones (recent history shows that doesn't happen even when
hot issues are boiling.
It is due to the amount of turnout for
voting. Now if we had a 100% turnout, and
above the 1,444 registered. Then I'd be all in favor of breaking up or
expanding the 10th Ward. I am amazed that you
are targeting just the city of Lebanon. As I have said. If you want to save
money due to paying poll officials. Then why in the world would you have the
mandated, by State, polls open and workers at, even if a 100% turnout, from
0700 to 2000 Hr. at Mt. Gretna (206 REGISTERED); Union Green Point (383
REGISTERED); etc. What. A "Transportation to
the polling place" issues? They need the extra spending money, as a poll
worker? |
CONSOLIDATE:
| The parking at my location is horrible due to hospital
staff, and new valet parking. I do not believe it could easily be made “all
person” accessible.__ |
| Lower costs to consolidate, Lebanon city has too many
polling locations; better qualified staffers may be available if there are
fewer places |
| There are three polling placed within about 2 blocks of
each other. None of them have near the average number of voters.
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