Mercer County has made strides in improving its voting process as evident during this past election cycle, earning positive comments from citizens for its early and mail-in voting transparency, preparedness, and public engagement. However, accounts from actual voters across the county highlight lingering issues that must be addressed to ensure continued improvement and a smooth experience for all.
Steps in the Right Direction
- Transparency in Vote Reporting
Mercer County continues to demonstrate its commitment to transparency by publishing daily updates on early voting and vote-by-mail activity on the county website. This initiative helps keep voters informed, ensuring public confidence in the election process. - Increased Voting Machines
The county’s decision to deploy additional voting machines at polling locations on Election Day is a positive proactive measure to accommodate anticipated high voter turnout. This approach reflects a better understanding of voter needs and a desire to minimize Election Day bottlenecks. - Improved Communication with Voters
The Board of Elections has indicated a much greater willingness to engage with citizens on voting issues and be responsive to their concerns.
Challenges Identified by Voters
Despite these advancements, voter feedback reveals operational and procedural issues that still need attention:
Wait Times and Processing Efficiency
- At some polling stations (e.g. Hamilton), the average wait time to vote was still unacceptable at times, exacerbated by long lines inside and outside the polling locations.
- Even with no line, the average time from check-in to ballot scanning was 6 minutes, which many voters feel is too long.
Equipment Setup and Training
- Some voters reported various scanning issues. Machines occasionally rejected ballots with a paper jam" error before eventually accepting them upon rescan. The County needs to do a better job training its poll workers in anticipation of when things go wrong during in-person voting.
Ballot and Voter Registration Concerns
- One voter noted she has received ballots for her deceased husband for five years. While poll workers provided her with a form to resolve the issue, the prolonged inaccuracy raises concerns about maintaining updated voter rolls.
Provisional Ballots and Protocols
- Provisional ballots are still being processed incorrectly. For example, when voters successfully check into the pollbook, but the voter experiences a voting machine failure, some poll workers are still defaulting to a provisional ballot instead of spoiling the original ballot and re-issuing a new ballot.
- Some 70 plus percent of all provisional ballots issued are caused by people who are on the vote by mail list who attempt to vote in person, this continued inaccuracy causes delays and confusion at the polls.
Accommodating Poll Challengers
- The county can be much more open and accommodating to Poll Challengers who are only there to help observe and document any issues in the voting process to ultimately provide feedback for self-improvement.
Sharing Election Information via OPRA
- Mercer County still ranks at or near the bottom of all New Jersey counties at sharing election data such as poll book logs, ballot images and system logs. The county continues to delay access to important data that other counties using the same poll book and voting machine technology regularly share freely and without cost.
Balancing Progress with Action
Mercer County has made notable improvements, from increasing transparency to enhancing poll worker guidance. However, voter feedback highlights areas that need continued attention, particularly in processing efficiency, adherence to ballot-handling protocols, and resolving systemic issues like outdated voter rolls.
As the county evaluates its performance this past Election Day, addressing these challenges will be critical to ensuring a seamless voting experience. By combining proactive measures with rigorous training and oversight, Mercer County can build on its progress and further strengthen trust in the electoral process.
