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Luzerne County Election Director Shelby Watchilla issued a public alert Tuesday emphasizing her office is not sending any mail-in ballot applications unless they are requested by a voter.
				Her warning was prompted largely by a questionable ballot application mailing that contained an anti-Joe Biden message. No entity stated responsibility for sending it, making it appear the communication came from her office, she said.
				Watchilla said she received numerous inquiries from voters questioning why her office sent it.
				&ldquo;I just want the voters to know it&rsquo;s not coming from our office,&rdquo; Watchilla said. &ldquo;I called our liaison in the Department of State, and they&rsquo;re looking into it.&rdquo;
				The mailing was one sheet folded in half and taped.
				One outer side had the message about Biden, and the other contained the mailing address for the county election office with a spot for a stamp and return address so it could be sent in.
				By unsealing the tape, voters could access the application on the full other side of the sheet and tape it back up for mailing.
				Watchilla said her office will process such applications if they are properly filled out, but the ones mailed by the county upon request do not have any political campaign messages.
				Her office also has received inquiries about other ballot application mailings sent by outside entities, but this was the first sent anonymously, she said.
				&ldquo;A nice voter brought it in to show us so we would know what they&rsquo;re talking about,&rdquo; Watchilla said.
				The county sent mail-in applications before the June 2 primary election, but that was a one-time initiative stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, she said.
				Approximately 40,300 county voters cast their ballots by mail on June 2 &mdash; an option that was encouraged in the pandemic and available with no excuse or reason required for the first time due to state legislation that had passed last year.
				About 36,400 county mail-in voters already checked a box on their primary applications indicating they want to receive a mail-in ballot again for the Nov. 3 general, and Watchilla estimated 6,000 additional requests have arrived.
				Voters approved for mail-in voting should start receiving their ballots in mid to late September, Watchilla said.
				Only one valid ballot can be issued to each voter, tracked through a unique barcode, she said.
				Poll workers 
				The county received more than 50 interest forms from prospective poll workers Tuesday, which was National Poll Workers Recruitment Day, Watchilla said.
				That&rsquo;s significantly higher than the typical five to 10 per day, she said.
				County Election Board members have urged voters to consider signing up. Filling slots has become increasingly difficult because many past workers are elderly and unwilling or unable to continue, particularly during the pandemic, officials have said.
				As an incentive, the board increased the election day compensation this year to $200 for judges and $195 for clerks, machine operators and inspectors. Information is posted on the election page at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/1093/Election-Day-Poll-Workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.luzernecounty.org</a>.

Luzerne County had no involvement in anti-Biden, mail-in voting application, director says