By Gina Morton
SUNBURY — Someone might have tried to help a Point Township write-in candidate by illegally writing his name on a voting machine, Northumberland County officials said.
The allegation can’t be investigated now because the machines are on a mandatory 20-day lockdown.
Last week, reports indicted that John Billheim’s name was written on a voting machine at a township polling station. He had been running as a write-in candidate for a six-year term as Point Township supervisor.
County election results indicate that George P. Geise and Randall Yoxheimer won the election with 383 and 303 votes respectively. There were 238 write-in votes, according to the county election office.
Billheim’s phone number is unlisted, and he could not be reached for comment.
A county board of elections spokeswoman said Monday the board was aware of the allegations, but was unable to investigate because the machines are on lockdown.
According to Chet Harhut, commissioner of elections for the commonwealth, the law requires immediately upon the close of the polls that counties lock down voting machines for a period of 20 days.
This is done as a security measure, he said.
“It’s an old provision, but it provides no other votes cast on machines until the period is over,” Harhut said.
The machines could be unlocked under a supervised recount situation, he said. They also could be unlocked under court order, he said.
“They are following the correct rules for the mandatory lockdown period,” he said.
The county election board spokeswoman said the machines would be opened on Nov. 23, and officials would then assess the situation.
