READING, Pa. – The Berks County Board of Elections honored county resident Mary Kozak for being inducted in the Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame.
County Commissioner Michael S. Rivera explained the Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame is for people who have voted consecutively at every November election for the past 50 years.
The commissioners presented Kozak with a certificate from Gov. Josh Shapiro and Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt.
Kozak told the board that in addition to the November elections, she also voted in every primary election and in a special election during the 50-years.
In other business, the board approved the ballot drop box schedule for absentee and mail-in ballots for the May 19 primary election.
The ballot drop boxes will once again be located in the Berks County Services Center, Reading, the South Campus, Mohnton, and in the Reading Regional Airport.
The drop boxes will be available from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. beginning Monday, May 4 through Friday. May 8, and then again from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. from Monday, May 11 until Friday, May 15.
For the three days leading up to the primary, the boxes will be available on: Saturday, May 16, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., Sunday, May 17 from 12 noon until 4 p.m., Monday, May 18 from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., and on Election Day, May 19, from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The board also approved the $200 compensation for county employees who work in various roles on Election Day.
Employees also receive their regular pay, and the third shift workers receive May 20 off from work, with the permission of their supervisors.
County Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach said he does not believe the $200 pay is enough for the poll workers, who often work very long shifts.
Leinbach said that pay is set by the Pennsylvania Legislature.
All three commissioners have often called for sweeping election reforms from the state, and that would include the ability of counties to set their own pay rate for poll workers.