Mercer County, Pa. - Leaders in Mercer county are divided over whether ballot drop boxes should be added to give voters another way to return their ballots. 

Commissioner Timothy McGonigle is pushing for the addition, saying increased in-person activity at the county's elections office shows a need for more convenient voting options.

"Recently, there's been a lot of over-the-counter in person voting in our elections office, and we didn't anticipate this when we actually developed that office," McGonigle said.

McGonigle believes ballot drop boxes would improve accessibility, particularly for seniors and voters with disabilities. However, commissioner Bill Finley opposes the proposal, arguing that voters already have sufficient options available.

"We have mail in ballots that you can request, similar to an absentee ballot, and you're allowed to put those right into the regular postal box. So everybody has access, either through their mailbox on their home or a drop mailbox in their community," Finley said. 

The Mercer County Board of Elections is currently studying whether drop boxes could be placed in locations such as Greenville, Grove City and West Middlesex. But despite the ongoing review, McGonigle said he is not optimistic the proposal will move forward.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it will be approved here in Mercer County. Our other two commissioners have made public statements that while they're in office, that that won't happen, so we could be talking to deaf ears. However, that doesn't mean we can't continue to push for it." McGonigle said.