Pennsylvania
A deficit of experienced voting officials could mean trouble for Pa.’s 2024 election
High turnover risks an increase in mistakes
Some departures, like Feaser’s, were retirements. But regardless of their reason for leaving, data and case studies bear out the intuitive notion that the less experience a county has in its election office, the more errors are likely to occur.
Errors such as instructing voters to vote for the wrong number of candidates, candidates or races being left off the ballot, or improper ballot return instructions have been increasing since 2019.
Four of the five counties with the most ballot and administrative errors since 2019 — as identified through research by Votebeat, Spotlight PA, and the Open Source Election Technology Institute — also were among the counties with the highest turnover.
County and state election officials agreed this past fall that the sharp increase in ballot errors seen in 2023 was due to election official turnover.
And in Luzerne County, where a ballot paper shortage in the 2022 midterm elections prompted outcry from residents and national scrutiny, an investigation by the district attorney determined turnover and the staff’s inexperience were at the heart of the issue.
Luzerne’s most recent director, Eryn Harvey, who returned to the director position in 2023 after that debacle, is departing, leaving the office again with an acting director as it heads into the primary.
“If you’ve never worked in an election, it is difficult to come in that office,” Feaser said.
Feaser’s replacement, deputy Chris Spackman, had the benefit of working closely with Feaser over the past two years, knowing he would be the director when Feaser retired. Other counties are adopting this peer-mentoring strategy as well.
In Snyder County, the former long-time director Patricia Nace has been brought back in a consultant role to help advise Devin Rhoads, the new election director who began in May. Rhoads said she has helped fill in gaps in his knowledge.
When Rhoads first began, there was a lot to learn, and the information coming from the Department of State wasn’t always clear because it contained abbreviations that new directors might not understand.
“Sometimes I wish it would be more like a cookbook,” he said. “So that’s one of the hardest things is we’re just new to this and we don’t know what all these abbreviations and things mean.”
But, since May, things have improved. The Department of State is also tapping into the hands-on experience of election administrators to provide support. It recently hired Dori Sawyer, an election director with roughly two and a half years of experience from Montgomery County, to lead training for new directors.
“I think they finally realized, ‘Oh my, we have all these new people and they don’t know what to do,’” Rhoads said. He recently joined the state’s trainings on its voter roll management system and mail ballot applications.
Schmidt said the department established its training unit to help with transferring institutional knowledge, and it hired a former election director because they wanted someone “who’s been in the trenches” that “can speak from experience.”
In addition to the training unit, the department has created a calendar for directors that identifies pre- and post-election duties and deadlines for 2024, released a new version of its ballot review checklist for counties to use as a resource, and bolstered its county liaison program, among other initiatives.
Schmidt said in his experience he has found that directors are invested in running elections right in all counties because they understand that errors will give “bad actors” something to take advantage of. Schmidt, a Republican, was a city commissioner in Philadelphia during the 2020 election, and achieved national prominence for pushing back against Trump’s claims of fraud.
Still, there is room for improvement. Boockvar, who now runs a consultancy on election security, said the legislature should act to provide more resources for training and provide better standards for universal practices like poll worker training and pre-election equipment testing.
Hersheypark in Pennsylvaniacould be forced to close this summer amid a dispute between the site’s operators and union employees, according to a report.
The amusement park is scheduled to open seven days a week starting May 21 in a shift from its weekend-only operation before the summer, despite a looming vote among employees about whether to go on strike.
Over 200 union maintenance employees at Hersheypark, The Hotel Hershey and Giant Center rejected a contract offer from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts on May 7, according to Inside the Magic. The park’s operators described the proposal as their “last, best and final” offer.
Over a three-day period this week, employees will vote on whether to strike after rejecting the offer, which is the third from the park’s operators. A strike could close the park just in time for the start of the busy summer season when families head on vacation.
The list of employees considering going on strike includes ride mechanics, electricians, plumbers, welders, painters, machinists, utilities technicians, carpenters, garage auto mechanics and sign artists.
In mid-March, the union and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts agreed to extend a former contract for 60 days to allow for continued negotiations.
According to Inside the Magic, union workers are seeking fair wage increases, more affordable care plans and higher pay premiums for less-desirable shifts. The union has also said that it will reject new contract offers that lower professional standards, devalue skilled trades or open the door to lower wages in maintenance roles in the future.
The Independent has contacted Hershey Entertainment & Resorts for comment about the possible strike.
Hersheypark, located 15 miles east of Harrisburg, is the largest amusement park in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1906, the 121-acre site boasts more than 70 rides, a water park with 17 water attractions and an 11-acre North American Wildlife Park, according to Hersheypark’s website.
It’s named for and themed in conjunction with the popular candy company.
However, a different park in the Keystone State was named as the top amusement park in the U.S. on TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best list.
It was Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, 42 miles north-northeast of Harrisburg, that topped the list. In doing so, the little-known park was ranked higher than Dollywood, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure that also made the top 5.
“It’s got it all: roller coasters, kid-friendly rides (bumper cars, a haunted mansion), swimming, camping, a mining museum, and even a championship 18-hole golf course,” TripAdvisor wrote. “The accommodating staff, clean facilities, and fun attractions make for a memorable family-friendly visit.”
Knoebels is the U.S.’s largest free-admission park, although tickets for individual rides cost a fee.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on cast vote records creates uncertainty for counties
NEW CASTLE, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Charles “Yami” Frederick Jamison, age 83, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, formerly of Warren, Ohio, passed away, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Haven Convalescent Home.
Mr. Jamison was born December 2, 1942, in New Castle, a son of the late Charles N. and Anna (Callihan) Jamison and was a 1960 graduate of New Castle High School.
Charles worked as an order checker clerk for Packard Electric Company, Warren, Ohio, for 31 years, until his retirement in 1999.
A proud veteran, he served his country in the United States Navy.
He was a member of St. Mary’s Church, Warren, Ohio and also attended Mass at Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church.
Charles spent his free time hunting and playing Euchre.
He is survived by his four sisters, Margaret I. Klann, Mary E. DeMarco and Catherine “Kay” A. Houk (Robert), all of New Castle and Susan J. Olson (Donald), Winfield, Illinois; his brother, Richard Jamison (Linda) of New Castle; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the City Rescue Mission, 319 S. Croton Ave., New Castle, PA, 16101, and the Salvation Army, 240 W. Grant St., New Castle, PA, 16101.
The family would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to the Haven Convalescent Home for the care and support that Charles received over the years.
Calling Hours will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 111 W. Falls St., New Castle.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on 10:30 a.m., Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church, 124 N. Beaver St., New Castle, with Rev. Aaron Kriss, as celebrant.
Interment: Castleview Memorial Gardens, Neshannock Twp.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles F. Jamison, please visit our flower store.
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