The Center for Election Confidence (“CEC”) today submitted regulatory comment to the Lancaster County, Pa., Board of Elections, urging the Board to weigh carefully the impact to voters as it considers moving polling places in Rapho and East Earl Townships. The Board will consider comments at its October 7, 2025, public hearing.

Polling place changes are a frequently fact of life for election officials and administrators, as previous locations close, fail to meet requirements, raise facility fees, or otherwise become unavailable. But for voters, polling place changes cause confusion, consternation, and, in many cases, a conclusion that voting takes too much effort. These issues are not simply theoretical—each election, a number of voters fail to cast a ballot because their polling location has changed.

CEC suggests the Board follow a three-step process for weighing a proposal to change a polling place against the impact of such change on voters.

First, consider whether a polling location change is necessary or simply a matter of convenience. If a location has become unavailable, for example, a change may be required. However, if a previously used polling location remains available and accessible to the voting residents it serves, the bar for adjustment must take into consideration its effect on those voters.

Second, once a new location has been determined, signage will be required at both the previous location and the new location to inform voters of the change. Better still, a poll worker should be stationed at the previous location to assist any voters who may arrive there to cast their ballots.

Third, immediately execute a voter contact and education plan that goes above and beyond what is required. Since many voters will not think to look up their polling location until Election Day, the bar for such contact and education is high—and higher than most might think. Consider Tarrant County, Texas, which implemented a major polling location change in Spring 2025 and where a voter was quoted in the local press as saying, “There was no notice—that notice should have been screamed from the rooftops.”

CEC asks, “is the Board prepared to ‘scream[] from the rooftops’ about any polling place changes?” because that is the standard that voters demand.

Examples of an effective strategy include appearances on local television, radio, and online news programs, press releases and letters to the editor or opinion-editorials sent to local print press, and online messaging on social platforms that some voters may use. The Board may also consider sending nonpartisan messages to community organizations and religious institutions who may consider sharing them with their members in bulletins or newsletters. The Board’s goal should be total information saturation to ensure every possible voter is aware of the changes.

While polling place changes are sometimes unavoidable facts of life, CEC encourages the Lancaster County, Pa., Board of Elections to reflect on the practical impact of such changes on county voters, “scream[ing] from the rooftops” the news of any implemented changes so that no voter is left behind.