The Sussex County Board of Elections is gearing up for the upcoming election, despite being short of two Democratic members. The board, which consists of an equal number of representatives from the Democratic and Republican parties, is currently awaiting the approval of two nominees submitted to the governor for consideration. The current Chair, Mark Hefler, the only Democrat on the committee, expressed hope that the approvals would arrive before November.
The board has been dealing with resignations since May, with the most recent ones occurring in July. Despite these challenges, the board is making strides in its preparations for the upcoming election. Wendy Buccino has been appointed as the permanent Elections Chief Clerk, a move that was confirmed at their August 28 meeting.
However, the board is facing security concerns that are affecting the availability of poll workers. A significant number of poll workers have expressed discomfort working in the general election due to these concerns. Despite this, Buccino confirmed that they have a full staff of over 650 poll workers for the November election, with an expectation of needing close to 500 on election day.
Voters in Sussex County have until October 15, 2024, to register to vote. They can choose to vote by mail, early in-person voting, or at the polling locations on Election Day. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by the Sussex County Clerk’s office by Thursday, November 8, according to TapInto.net.