Centre County woman seeks to have hundreds tossed from the county’s voter rolls. Here’s why
A statewide appeals court is in position to have the latest word on a legal challenge seeking to have about 350 people tossed from Centre County’s voter rolls.
Linda S. Sheckler, of Spring Township, appealed last week to the state Commonwealth Court after the Centre County board of elections refused to strike the names of people whose registered addresses were closed Penn State dorms.
The dorms were closed for more than two years, Sheckler’s petition argued, meaning none of the voters resided at the address listed on their registration. Those people, attorney Thomas W. King III wrote, should not be eligible to vote in Centre County.
The county’s board of elections disagreed. The three-member board voted 2-0 at its Aug. 1 meeting to deny Sheckler’s request, King wrote.
Only two board members were present, county Administrator John Franek Jr. wrote in an email Wednesday. He neither identified those who voted nor the one member who was not present. The minutes from the board’s most recent meeting have not yet been approved.
He declined comment on the appeal.
The board, Sheckler’s appeal alleged, erroneously said a voter registration act bars the removal of would-be voters within 90 days of any election. The municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 7.
The act the board relied on, King wrote, only regulates primary or general elections for federal office. Messages left Wednesday for King were not immediately returned.
The next board of elections meeting is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 21.
This story was originally published September 6, 2023 at 2:44 PM.