Lehigh County poll watchers say mail-in counts have been transparent

Lehigh County poll watchers say mail-in counts have been transparent

By Tyler Pratt

November 6, 2020

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Amid new lawsuits and legal challenges by the Trump campaign over Pennsylvania’s electoral process, election offices have been under increased scrutiny this week. 

President Trump has claimed poll watchers don’t have enough access to monitor vote counting. 

But as WLVR’S Tyler Pratt reports, that hasn’t been the sentiment in Lehigh County. 

State election law provides for certified poll watchers from a variety of parties to be on site. 

Ed White is a Lehigh County GOP poll watcher. His main complaint has been the amount of time it’s taken to count ballots, but otherwise, he’s been pleased. 

“We have been given an opportunity to observe the process, and there are monitors behind us that are on 24/7 showing this room which is the only room where ballots are opened, processed and tabulated,” says White. 

And Stephen Zakos, a county Democratic poll watcher, says he agrees 100%.

“The transparency and communication has been excellent from the Lehigh County government.” 

Zakos and White — along with other poll watchers, including several for Trump — have spent days viewing vote counts at the Lehigh County Government Center, reporting their observations back to their respective campaigns. 

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