Members of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners gather for a photo following a reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, 2024 in Norristown. Pictured, from left, is Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija, Chairwoman Jamila Winder and Commissioner Tom DiBello. (Credit: Rachel Ravina / MediaNews Group)
DiBello objects to ‘ice cream truck concept’
A new method to increase voter outreach was a topic of disagreement among Montgomery County Commissioners considering a request for proposal for a mobile outreach vehicle ahead of the 2024 general election.
The item, introduced during the July 18 Montgomery County Commissioners meeting, seeks bids from interested firms in order to “furnish mobile outreach vehicles to increase access to voter services during upcoming elections,” the request for proposal states. Additional information was not immediately available other than the initiative would be covered through the county’s capital improvement program funding.
“We’re simply providing the same services that we would provide for people coming to Norristown without having to have them drive 45 minutes to get there, which I think is a great thing to make sure our citizens have the right to vote protected and respected,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija.
Makhija underscored the importance of consulting the county’s solicitor’s office in this matter to better gauge their options and ensure that if authorized, policies would be instituted correctly.
‘Ice cream truck’
The motion passed in a 2-1 roll call vote, with majority support from Makhija and Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder, both Democrats. Commissioner Tom DiBello, a Republican, was the sole dissenting voice, as he expressed opposition to the concept he likened to a “mobile ice cream truck.” DiBello questioned the legitimacy of implementing a policy and noted that services remain available online.
“This is not our responsibility as county government,” he said. “It’s not … good fiduciary use of taxpayer money to have a vehicle in place to drive around to do voter outreach in our communities.”
Accessibility highlighted
Winder took issue with DiBello’s characterization, insisting “this is not an ice cream truck,” but instead offering a new means of accessibility.
“There [are] so many constituents that just can’t get here, that can’t get online or don’t have that capacity and so I think when we’re thinking about our most vulnerable, this is another way which we can support our most vulnerable,” Winder said.
Winder and Makhija noted instances of seniors or others unable to leave their residences to drop off their ballots to a drop box or the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services in the county seat of Norristown.
“So does this mean that potentially we’re going to have a fleet of vehicles providing access to all the county services across Montgomery County or are we just concerned about ballot harvesting for elections?” DiBello asked.
“What it says is for voter services at this point. I can’t predict the future,” Winder replied, adding “but generally, I think we should be thinking about ways [of] how to meet residents where they are. Not everybody can get to Norristown.”
Election transparency
Makhija agreed, also stressing the need for increased transparency among constituents and voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
“There’s counties in Pennsylvania that don’t even inform voters when they’re not going to count their ballot and I think that’s wrong,” Makhija said. “I think this board has decided in line with the view that every voter who is eligible, who is registered should have the right to vote, have it be respected, have their vote counted, and if there is any issue, they should be informed about it, and they should have the chance to fix it. That’s the policy we’ve had in place in Montgomery County.
“In the past, even before we got here, there were mechanisms for notice and cure and enfranchising procedures as you might say where we call people, we text people, we even send them a letter to let them know there’s an issue and it gives them a chance to respond,” Makhija continued.
Another election-related request for proposal was approved in a similar 2-1 vote concerning drop boxes. Voter services officials have set up around a dozen drop boxes across the county for the past few election seasons where registered voters can return their mail-in ballots. The item has historically been contentious among conservatives in opposition to mail-in voting.
“I’m fine with getting an RFP on maintenance of current drop boxes and covers … but I’m not understanding. I mean counties are doing away with drop boxes,” DiBello said. “I don’t understand why additional drop boxes would be part of this proposal.”
The request for proposal, also issued on behalf of the county’s voter services office, aims to “provide additional and replacement drop boxes, covers and graphics for existing and potential county drop box locations.” Funding would be obtained through the county’s general-operational budget, with bids due by 10:30 a.m. on Friday.
The voter registration deadline for the 2024 general election is Oct. 21. Those interested in voting by mail have until Oct. 29 to apply for a mail-in ballot. Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All ballots must be submitted when the polls close. Visit montgomerycountypa.gov/753/Voter-Services for more information.
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