A judge in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, has issued a ruling regarding the handling of votes in Washington Township during the upcoming election. The judge has ordered a poll official in Washington Township to send votes to the county election bureau for tabulation without conducting a hand count or manual tabulation of the votes cast for any office.
The Fayette County Election Bureau filed an emergency petition requesting the judge to prevent an election official in Washington Township from hand-counting votes, citing that it goes against county protocol. Vincent Manetta, the judge of election for Washington Township, had expressed his intention to audit or hand count the votes cast for each presidential candidate after the polls close, despite being advised by the Election Director and solicitor that such actions were not permitted under the statute.
In response to this situation, the judge's ruling mandates that if the Washington Township election judge does not comply with the order, the county sheriff's office must dispatch an escort to accompany a poll worker with the voting materials to the Fayette County Election Bureau as per protocol. Additionally, the ruling instructs the sheriff's office to provide similar escort services to any other Fayette County precinct that is found to be acting outside the authority outlined in the state's election code.
This ruling aims to ensure that the election process in Fayette County adheres to established protocols and statutory requirements. By enforcing these measures, the judge seeks to maintain the integrity and fairness of the electoral process in the county.
