ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A judge has extended over-the-counter voting one day in Lehigh County as a Donald Trump campaign rally has limited access to the city's downtown.
Tuesday is the deadline for voters to request a mail-in ballot. But with potential delays in the mail, government officials typically recommend voters request one in person this close to Election Day.
However, former President Trump is holding a rally this evening at the PPL Center across the street from the Lehigh County Government Center.
Law enforcement and city officials closed the street to traffic Monday at 5 p.m., and the surrounding roads were blocked off at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The closures have made the neighborhood tricky to reach. The Allentown School District cancelled classes Tuesday, and county government is having most employees work from home due to the limited access.
Lehigh County Director of Administration Ed Hozza said Lehigh County Judge Tom Capehart granted a motion by the Lehigh County Board of Elections to extend in-person voting at the elections office until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The order only extends to voters who come in person to the office at 17 S. Seventh St. Requests filed online must be in by Tuesday.
The government center opens at 8 a.m.
About 30 people were lined up in the basement hallway outside the elections office at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Chief Clerk of Elections Tim Benyo said the line was much larger Monday and that deadline day has historically been the busiest for over-the-counter ballot requests.
"It's due to what's going on upstairs," he said, referring to the thousands of people lined up for the rally outside.
By contrast, the line outside the Northampton County election office in Easton had about 100 people at 10 a.m.
Over-the-counter ballots are regular mail-in ballots. However, voters can turn them in during the same visit to the government rather than return them through the mail.
