Accused by state House Republicans of consolidating polling places so drastically that it could endanger public health and disenfranchise voters on Election Day, Allegheny County officials responded Wednesday that they sought the necessary state approval, are anticipating an in-person turnout “far less” than in prior elections and are taking steps to make sure polling places are safe.

The county’s response came a day after Republican members of the local House delegation — including House Speaker Mike Turzai — spoke publicly about their concern that making voters go to fewer polling places would make them less safe. They also alleged that the county had not provided evidence showing that such a significant reduction in locations was necessary, noting that the legislature’s recent elections bill allowed consolidation by no more than 60 percent “except for necessitous circumstances and as approved by the Department of State.”

“We demand that the Department of State and the Allegheny County Elections Division open up our polling places, get volunteers — we will be glad to help — and at a minimum follow the law that it can’t be a reduction [of polling places] by more than 60 percent,” Mr. Turzai said in a recorded video statement.

The county, in its response, insisted that it followed the proper protocols to further consolidate polling places beyond the 60% and that it received approval from the state “precisely because of such necessitous circumstances.” Those circumstances were outlined by county council and included concerns over staffing shortages, concerns over polling places dropping out and anticipation that in-person turnout will be “far less than in prior elections” because of the widespread use of the mail-in ballot option, said County Solicitor Andrew Szefi.

“The county did not move forward without approval,” Mr. Szefi wrote in a statement. “Its Elections officials received a verbal approval from the department last week allowing the division to move forward with publicizing the polling places. The formal, written approval was received on Monday.”

Pointing to how Allegheny County officials received the formal approval letter from the state after it had already announced the consolidation, the Republicans said they consider that to be an action “sans state approval” and in violation of the law, though the county maintains it received “verbal approval.”

Nonetheless, the county’s use of about 130 polling locations — not counting those in the city of Pittsburgh — “endangers public health and will certainly disenfranchise hundreds, if not thousands, of Allegheny County voters” by creating a situation June 2 that would go against public health recommendations of social distancing and a limit on the size of gatherings, the Republicans wrote.

County spokeswoman Amie Downs pointed out that though they are using 130 separate buildings — not including Pittsburgh — housed within those buildings are 416 voting districts.

In response to Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Upper St. Clair, questioning how “equitable” the distribution of polling places is when both the populous Bethel Park and sparsely populated Bridgeville have exactly one building, Ms. Downs said there is a difference: Bethel Park has nine rooms in the building administering 18 voting districts, while Bridgeville’s has one room serving one voting district.

In a statement, David Voye, manager of the county elections division, said the steps they’ve taken “neither disenfranchise voters nor endanger public health” and, while protecting public health, are intended to encourage more voter participation.

Mr. Voye noted that voters have been encouraged to use voting methods that minimize direct contact, and that the 225,000 applications they’ve received for mail-in and absentee ballots show they’re likely to have reduced crowd sizes at polling stations — which will allow them to better monitor physical distancing, for one. Poll workers, too, will be encouraged to stay home if they’re sick and use their protection kits to clean and disinfect surfaces and voting equipment, Mr. Voye added.

Julian Routh: jrouth@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1952, Twitter @julianrouth.

First Published: May 20, 2020, 10:18 p.m.