Lehigh County considers purchasing more ballot drop boxes

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners held a first reading Wednesday on legislation amending the county’s 2026-30 capital plan to purchase five additional secure ballot drop boxes.

Sponsored by Commissioner Sheila Alvarado, the proposal allocates $157,990 from the Election and Integrity Grant Fund for five Runbeck Elections Services Sentinel Smart Dropbox units, including service, maintenance and support.

Placed at five locations across the county, the boxes will operate 24/7, scan outer ballot envelopes upon deposit and capture digital images of voters returning ballots.

The county said 29,213 voters had requested mail-in ballots for the November election.

Alvarado stated that the additional drop boxes will give voters more options amid growing mail delivery concerns — benefiting seniors, caregivers, working families and others with voting obstacles.

Commissioner and co-sponsor April Riddick noted that the county should have expanded its drop-box network sooner, adding that new locations will particularly assist residents in areas such as Whitehall Township and Macungie Borough.

She also cited college students and residents who work or attend school away from home as people who can benefit from expanded access.

“Our democracy is being questioned,” Riddick said, adding that voters need additional opportunities to make their voices heard.

Commissioners Ron Beitler and Geoff Brace raised questions about the timeline for implementing the proposal, emphasizing the need to balance voter access with security and proper administration.

Beitler said proposals that expand access also must address legitimate security and administrative concerns. He said the compressed timeline for deploying the equipment warrants careful consideration.

County Executive Josh Siegel said the county has a responsibility to make voting accessible while maintaining confidence in the election process.

Siegel said the proposed machines would build on the county’s existing election system and include safeguards such as ballot tracking, audit capabilities, barcodes and photographs of people depositing ballots.

“Should be very easy to vote and hard to cheat,” Siegel said.

The legislation would require a second reading before final adoption. Commissioners indicated the measure is expected to return for consideration Sept. 23.

Election and Registration Commission

The proposal comes as the county prepares for a Nov. 3 referendum that would amend the Home Rule Charter and expand the Election and Registration Commission from three voting members to five.

Commissioners are also considering creating a working group to develop an application for residents seeking appointment to the expanded commission. The group would be responsible for preparing an application for Board of Commissioners’ approval, with a draft expected for consideration at the board’s Oct. 28 meeting.

Digital forensics lab gets $10K donation

Commissioners also accepted a $10,000 donation from the Officer David M. Petzold Memorial Foundation to support the county’s digital forensics laboratory at DeSales University.

The money will be used to purchase a new Talino workstation for the Officer David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County, which assists law enforcement agencies in Lehigh and Northampton counties with digital forensics investigations.

The foundation was established in memory of Upper Saucon Township Police Officer David M. Petzold, who was killed in the line of duty in 2006. It has contributed more than $250,000 in cash and in-kind donations to the laboratory over the years.

Christine Petzold thanked the county for its continued support of the foundation and the laboratory.

She said the foundation is proud of the work accomplished at the lab and the way it continues Officer Petzold’s legacy.

“We’re very happy to be able to provide support to the Petzold lab,” Petzold said.

She said the laboratory is important because it continues to protect Lehigh County residents nearly 20 years after David Petzold’s death.

Alvarado thanked the foundation and said the laboratory continues to honor Petzold’s memory.

Fevig, who said she lives in Upper Saucon Township, also thanked the foundation for continuing its work.