Pedri
                                Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri speaks at a March 15, 2020 press conference about the COVID-19 outbreak. Roger DuPuis | Times Leader

Pedri

Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri speaks at a March 15, 2020 press conference about the COVID-19 outbreak. Roger DuPuis | Times Leader

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All nine discarded Luzerne County overseas military mail ballots will be counted in the Nov. 3 general election, county Manager C. David Pedri told council in a Monday morning email.

Pedri said the decision that the ballots would be returned to the county and tallied was reached after discussions with federal investigators and the Pennsylvania Department of State.

“We want to thank them for their assistance in closing this matter out as we prepare for the November election,” Pedri wrote.

The county also was informed the federal investigation is still ongoing, Pedri said.

Counting of the nine ballots is possible because bar codes and other information identifying the nine voters was retrieved along with the ballots, allowing the county to verify the ballots were valid, said county Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo.

A temporary independent contractor was responsible for the discarded ballots and immediately removed from service when Election Bureau Director Shelby Watchilla discovered and reported problems with the ballots, Pedri has said.

Investigators found no issues beyond the nine that had been discarded during the three-day period the temporary worker was employed — Sept. 14 to 16, Pedri has said.

County officials have not identified the temporary worker, citing the pending federal investigation.

In response to the finding, the county has stepped up both ballot security protocols and training for all workers, seasonal and full-time, officials said.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.