- Judge of elections Dan Boulin was removed from the polling place
- County officials said he wasn't following county directives amid a problem with voting machines
- It happened at College Hill Moravian Church in Bethlehem
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A judge of elections in Northampton County was removed from his post midway through Election Day, county officials said, after refusing to comply with instructions on how to handle issues with voting machines.
Dan Boulin, the precinct's judge of elections at College Hill Moravian Church on Laurel Street in Bethlehem, confirmed he was removed partway through the election.
Countywide issues with voting machines mislabeled races on printed paper backups for two state Superior Court judges seeking retention, flipping the names of judges Jack Panella and Vic Stabile.
When the issue first emerged, election officials directed poll workers to switch from voting machines to emergency paper ballots. When officials later determined that the problem did not affect how votes were recorded, voters went back to using the machines.
"Judges were instructed to allow the voters back on the machines, and the judge in question decided to allow voters to make a choice whether they wanted to vote on the machines or paper ballot," said Northampton County Registrar Chris Commini, who oversees elections in the county. "So he wasn't following what he was instructed to do."
Commini said shortly after his office decided to replace Boulin, they were able to find a replacement to continue voting with minimal impact to voters.
