WILKES-BARRE, PA — Luzerne County successfully debuted its newly leased voting equipment from Hart InterCivic during Tuesday’s primary election, marking a major structural shift in how local residents cast their ballots.
Moving away from digital touchscreens, the county transitioned to a completely paper-based voting method for most voters. Under the new system, individuals check in, receive a physical ballot from a poll worker, and head to a private station to fill out their selections by hand using a pen. Once completed, voters carry the paper ballot to a scanning machine and feed it into a tabulator to officially cast their votes—a final step that closely mirrors how printouts from the old touchscreen devices were processed.
The transition to the Hart system went off without a hitch. Luzerne County Election Director Emily Cook reported a seamless day for election workers, stating there was "nothing that raised any major concerns on our part.”
Cook also noted that the Bureau of Elections did not receive a single voter complaint regarding the rollout of the pen-and-paper system.
Beyond simplifying the process at the ballot box, the shift to Hart InterCivic is expected to save the county an estimated $150,000. County officials previously highlighted that the compact, lightweight design of the new physical equipment streamlines preparation, warehouse storage, and transport logistics. Furthermore, the user-friendly interface allows the county to manage ballot building and post-election programming entirely in-house, reducing overall reliance on external vendors.
While the new technology proved to be an administrative success, it did not draw a crowd. Cook reported that overall turnout at the polls remained light throughout the day, wrapping up with an unofficial turnout rate of just under 27%.
