Boutique fitness center set to open in downtown Harrisburg

November 9, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

The outside entrance to Fit on Market

Downtown Harrisburg has a new place to break a sweat, as a fitness center is slated to open this month.

Fit on Market opens this week in Strawberry Square as a “boutique” fitness center, according to building owner Harristown Enterprises.

“We are very excited to have a fantastic new downtown fitness facility to serve both our workforce and residential populations here in the city,” said Brad Jones, Harristown’s president and CEO.

Strawberry Square’s previous fitness studio, Fitness U, closed in June.

Fit on Market is located in another area of Strawberry Square, on the Market Street side, and is accessible both from inside and outside, allowing members to enter the facility even when the building isn’t open.

Fit on Market will offer new, state-of-the-art Matrix cardio and strength training equipment, in addition to newly constructed locker and shower facilities. Harristown has installed bipolar ionization equipment to continuously disinfect the air and surfaces, Jones said.

A line of treadmills awaits users at Fit on Market.

According to Harristown, memberships are limited in number and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $45 per month, billed quarterly.

The facility will be unstaffed, but safety systems will be in place to protect members, including connections to on-site security and emergency responders, as well as personal safety devices that can be used while working out, according to Harristown.

Members will be issued their own access cards to allow entry to Fit on Market during facility hours, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Fit on Market is located in Strawberry Square and at 312 Market St., Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-255-1021 or visit www.fitonmarket.com.

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Dueling rallies, tense moments as Trump, Biden supporters face each other down at PA Capitol

November 7, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Capitol police stand between pro-Biden and pro-Trump groups on the PA Capitol steps.

Worlds—and worldviews—collided today at the PA Capitol in Harrisburg, as supporters of the two presidential claimants held competing rallies, with police keeping the sides apart.

The day began peaceably and even joyfully around noon, after the Associated Press called Pennsylvania for Democrat Joe Biden, putting him over the 270-electoral-vote threshold to claim the presidency.

That call turned a pre-planned “Count Every Vote” rally into a celebration, and a party atmosphere broke out on the Capitol steps, with dancing, singing and chanting, on the sunny, unseasonably warm November day. The crowd waved “Biden/Harris,” rainbow and Black Lives Matter signs and flags, with almost everyone wearing a mask.

“We’re just so happy,” exclaimed Jennifer Davis of Lancaster County, who had just finished a line dance on the steps. “We’ve been waiting four years for this.”

The pro-Biden “Count Every Vote” rally

It didn’t take long, though, for the mood to shift.

By mid-afternoon, followers of President Donald Trump had assembled for a “Stop the Steal” rally on the other side of the Capitol building. Before hundreds of mostly unmasked Trump supporters around the large fountain, several speakers repeatedly made unproven claims of voter fraud and led attendees in chants of “Lock him up” for Biden and “Four more years” for Trump.

“I’m here because this election is being taken from us,” said John Scott, who had driven to Harrisburg from Maryland. “We can’t allow that to happen.”

The pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally in the back of the Capitol

Meanwhile, back around the front of the Capitol building, police blocked off N. 3^rd Street to vehicles.

A smaller, pro-Trump rally had taken root there, with a line of supporters standing at the top of the Capitol steps, a man with a megaphone shouting at a group of pro-Biden supporters on the landing below. After the rally at the rear of the Capitol ended, many people walked around the building, and the pro-Trump group swelled, including both families with children and a line of heavily armed men openly carrying guns.

The Capitol police placed themselves between the two groups, and the atmosphere often grew tense, especially as the man with the megaphone hurled conspiracy theories and insults at Biden, at his supporters and at Democrats in general. They also played pro-Trump songs and what’s become a favorite anthem, the Village People’s “YMCA.”

A group of pro-Trump supporters were heavily armed.

Over the next hour, the armed men left together as a group, and the crowd slowly dispersed from the Capitol steps. After about five hours, the competing rallies and confrontations had petered out.

“They lost, and they’re angry about that, and I understand that,” said Deb, a Biden supporter who only gave her first name. “But eventually they’re going to have to face the hard truth that this election is over.”

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Burg Review: “Poirot Investigates!” a funny, fussy affair from Open Stage

November 7, 2020 | by Gina Napoli

Open Stage blends a cozy mystery, British comedy and French farce with one of Agatha Christie’s oft-repeated and longest-running characters, Hercule Poirot.

Applause goes to Executive Director Stuart Landon (pictured) for two Herculean feats: 1) for adapting Christie’s short story, “The Adventure of the Western Star,” into a seven-scene stage play, injecting lots of silliness and absurdity, and 2) for managing to keep Poirot’s quizzical eyebrow halfway up his forehead for the full hour he portrayed the signature character.

The play opens with a nod to the audience as intelligent and discerning connoisseurs of detective stories—sophisticated puzzlers with superior reasoning powers. Their characterization and compliments made me feel like an aristocratic MENSA member instead of a tired mom watching a YouTube video in my sweatpants on a Thursday night, eating frozen waffles for dinner.

Told mostly through the narration of Capt. Hastings [Chris Gibson], Poirot’s assistant, the play follows the basic recipe for a whodunit and is heavily seasoned with clever repeat gags. Poirot and Hastings investigate the story of a stolen diamond worth 50,000 pounds called “The Western Star.” Through them, we meet the various suspects who are pulling quadruple duty as quick-change costume artists. Rachel Landon and Benny Benamati showcase how versatile their skills are, playing an assortment of male and female archetypes ranging from femme fatales to a farty hotel clerk.

Much of the character-driven subplot of the play is about Poirot’s personality. He is portrayed as a fastidious boor who approaches investigations in an ordered manner with pomposity and arrogance. Christie created Poirot early in her writing career, wrote about him often and later grew to despise him.

The author herself has the opportunity to voice that opinion when presented as a figuratively and literally flat character. Christie appears as a portrait on the wall, voiced with perfect tongue-in-cheek delivery [Rachel Landon]. In fact, the author wrote an essay about how much she didn’t like the very character she created and then over-used in over 50 of her stories.

Because I only spent an hour with Poirot, I rather grew to like Stuart Landon’s rendition of the fussy chap, wearing his tuxedo while sitting in his flat, looking down his snoot at everyone around him. The repeat gag when Poirot rang a bell and someone immediately brought him a three-tiered tea tray full of sandwiches especially made me chortle. (“Chortle” is a snobbish word for “laugh.” I chortle now because I’m so darned posh.)

The melodramatic music and sound effects [composer Nicholas Werner and guitarist Anthony Pierucci] also become personified as characters in the play, and both deserve an honorable mention. The actors and the music interact with each other, producing a mood of that is simultaneously foreboding, off-kilter and funny. Together, they bring life to the show’s many long-running gags and inside jokes.

The play contains the usual number of distractions produced by being locked down into a video format. Any would-be inconsistencies or mistakes are easily chalked up to being an inherent part of the farce.

If I could make one suggestion to improve this play, it would be to add subtitles to the video. The characters’ accents, hailing from various parts of England, were at times just authentically British enough to require closed-captioning.

If you’re a fan of whodunits and witty British comedy, don’t miss this play. You can view it for free online. During this financially difficult time, please consider sending a donation through Open Stage’s website.

“Poirot Investigates!” runs Nov. 6 to 22 on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. The show can be accessed through the Open Stage YouTube page and on Facebook Live. For more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

November 6, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

“Vote” signs lead up to the PA state Capitol.

With presidential election results still pending, it’s like one big waiting game. While you anticipate the next move, catch up on this week’s news below.

A “Count Every Vote” rally was held at the state Capitol on Wednesday. Voters protested President Donald Trump’s threat to intervene in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to allow a three-day extension for receiving mail-in ballots, our online story reports.

COVID cases are surging in Pennsylvania, with new diagnoses breaking daily records. In the past week, there were 2,633 newly diagnosed cases per day, our online story reports.

Election Day in Dauphin County ran smoothly, our reporting found. Although a majority of residents opted for mail-in ballots, the polls still saw activity, some accumulating lines with over an hour-long wait.

Faith leaders in Harrisburg held a community vigil on Monday night to pray for a peaceful Election Day. Led by the Mayor’s Interfaith Advisory Council, the group discussed the importance of unity despite the results, our online story reports.

One Hundred Voices is a new book that tells the stories of Harrisburg’s historic African American community, our magazine story reports. Many of the voices come from the Old 8^th Ward, a historically Black and immigrant neighborhood that was demolished to make room for the state Capitol complex.

Our editor comments on Harrisburg’s Draft Comprehensive Plan in his monthly column. With the sales and rental markets looking strong, he suggests the plan may underestimate the city’s potential for growth.

Sara Bozich has some weekend suggestions for you in her weekly blog. Pick up a good book at Midtown Scholar, try a new brewery or learn how to make pasta with the Harrisburg Young Professionals.

Tallying votes for the presidential election has bled over into the days following Nov. 3. However, many state and local positions were decided much earlier. Check out our online story for more information.

Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania plans to build a community of tiny houses for homeless veterans in Harrisburg. The nonprofit hopes to build where Phoenix Park currently sits along the Susquehanna River, just south of the PennDOT building. Read more in our online story.

The Watershed Pub opened in Camp Hill last month, specializing in seafood. Our magazine story tells of owner Josh Kesler’s path to opening during the pandemic.

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New COVID-19 cases continue to surge in PA, reaching new daily, weekly highs

November 6, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

COVID-19 cases and tests, over time. Source: PA Department of Health

COVID-19 cases again reached new highs over the past week, with new diagnoses breaking several daily records.

Since last Friday, the commonwealth recorded an average of 2,633 newly diagnosed cases per day, according to the state Department of Health.

This compares to an average of 2,134 new daily cases last week, and 1,641, 1,397 and 1,146 new daily cases per day for the prior three weeks, respectively. The department also reports that testing has increased substantially over this time (see chart).

Locally, diagnosed cases are now as follows since the pandemic began:

Adams County: 1,288 cases (prior Friday, 1,158)
Cumberland County: 2,745 cases (prior Friday, 2,526)
Dauphin County: 5,367 cases (prior Friday, 4,898)
Franklin County: 2,546 cases (prior Friday, 2,269)
Lancaster County: 10,562 cases (prior Friday, 9,764)
Lebanon County: 3,503 cases (prior Friday, 3,132)
Perry County: 408 cases (prior Friday, 370)
York County: 7,072 cases (prior Friday, 6,630)

Today, the department reported a record high of 3,384 newly positive cases throughout Pennsylvania for the past 24 hours ending at midnight.

With today’s update, 223,950 Pennsylvanians have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus, an increase of 18,433 over the past week, according to the health department. Active cases total 54,087 and, currently, 1,599 people are hospitalized in PA with coronavirus.

Statewide, Philadelphia County continues to have the most confirmed cases with 42,307 cases. Allegheny County ranks second with 16,838 cases, and Montgomery County is third statewide with 15,118 cases.

The department also reported an additional 191 deaths since last Friday, meaning that 8,975 Pennsylvanians have died from the disease since March. Fatalities totaled 159, 168, 149 and 129 over the prior four weeks, respectively.

Around central PA, COVID-19 fatalities now stand as follows:

Adams County: 34 deaths (prior Friday, 28)
Cumberland County: 82 deaths (prior Friday, 79)
Dauphin County: 196 deaths (prior Friday, 196)
Franklin County: 62 deaths (prior Friday, 55)
Lancaster County: 488 deaths (prior Friday, 477)
Lebanon County: 72 deaths (prior Friday, 67)
Perry County: 7 deaths (prior Friday, 6)
York County: 211 deaths (prior Friday, 205)

PA nursing homes and personal care facilities have been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of total deaths, 5,903, or 65.7 percent, have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities, according to the health department.

In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 27,104 resident cases of COVID-19, and 5,810 cases among employees, for a total of 32,914 at 1,106 distinct facilities in 63 counties, according to the health department.

In addition, about 12,811 of total cases in PA are in health care workers.

Statewide, 2,632,316 individuals have had coronavirus tests, with 2,408,366 people testing negative, according to the state health department. Last Friday, the state reported that 2,503,500 people had been tested for the virus.

The state reports a total of 4,309,357 PCR tests, which includes many people, such as health care workers, who have been tested more than once.

Of the patients who have tested positive to date, the age breakdown is as follows, according to the health department:

About 1 percent are aged 0-4
About 2 percent are aged 5-12
About 5 percent are aged 13-18
Nearly 14 percent are aged 19-24
Nearly 36 percent are aged 25-49
About 21 percent are aged 50-64
Nearly 21 percent are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, as are most of the reported deaths, according to the state. However, the health department has emphasized that, increasingly, younger people are being diagnosed with COVID-19.

The health department continued to emphasize that Pennsylvanians should do the following:

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
Clean surfaces frequently.
Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
Wear a mask whenever out of your house.

For more information, visit the PA Department of Health’s COVID-19 website.

Currently, we are providing a COVID-19 update weekly, each Friday, or as breaking news warrants.

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Nonprofit proposes “tiny house” community for homeless veterans on former steel factory site

November 6, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

A rendering of the proposed project, featuring tiny houses that would house veterans.

Facebook has been blamed for everything from political division to spreading fake news, but, to Tom Zimmerman, it also can be a force for good.

A few years ago, Valerie Fletcher, a fellow alumnus at Red Land High School, posted a short video clip of a “veteran’s village” in Racine, Wis., a community of tiny houses that offers transitional housing for homeless vets.

Zimmerman’s thought: why can’t we do that here in Harrisburg?

“This model for homeless veterans is popping up all over the country,” he said, adding that similar concepts exist in cities like Savannah, Ga., Kansas City, Mo., and St. Petersburg, Fla.

Since then, Zimmerman, along with an eight-member board of directors, formed Veteran’s Outreach of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit dedicated to building a similar community for homeless veterans in Harrisburg.

Board members have their eyes on a five-acre site along the Susquehanna River, just south of the PennDOT building, which has been empty since the Phoenix Steel Corp. (formerly the Central Iron & Steel Co.) shut down operations some six decades ago. There, they hope to build 15 houses measuring 12-by-14 feet each, plus a 6,000-square-foot community center and a 26-space parking lot.

A rendering of the proposed community center (right)

Under the proposal, the detached houses would contain the basic necessities—a sleeping area, a half bath, a desk, a small sitting space, etc. The community center would have meeting space, a dining area, activity rooms, a laundry and other amenities to help the men and women.

Unlike some transitional facilities, there would be no time limit imposed. Residents would be able to stay as long as they needed to get back on their feet, Zimmerman said.

“The idea behind it is that veterans don’t succeed when you put 30 or 40 of them in a room in a big, communal setting,” he said.

Harrisburg philanthropist Peggy Grove and her son, Michael, under an entity called the Green Chair Trust, own the land, but have agreed to donate it to the organization, according to Zimmerman and Planning Bureau documents. Grove could not be reached for comment.

Currently, the Capital Area Greenbelt runs through the land, and, on nice days, bicyclists and runners often use the area, commonly known as Phoenix Park, where industrial ruins from the steel mill still are visible.

The development would occupy this site, now known as Phoenix Park

Grove would be willing to move the Greenbelt trail to just north of the site, a plan supported by the Capital Area Greenbelt Association, according to Planning Bureau documents.

In a letter to Zimmerman, CAGA President Carl Dickson expressed support for the project.

“We applaud the Groves’ and your generosity to help reduce homelessness in Harrisburg while allowing users of the Capital Area Greenbelt trail, and residents of the proposed Veterans Village, to continue to enjoy the trail’s connectivity, diversity, and appeal,” he wrote.

The Planning Bureau has recommended project approval, but with conditions. It would like to see several significant changes to the plan, including a more grid-style configuration, a smaller parking lot and a smaller overall footprint.

This past week, the project went before the city Planning Commission, as it needs both a variance and a special exception. After some discussion, it was tabled until the January meeting so that Veteran’s Outreach can consider the city’s desired changes, Zimmerman said.

Some of the steel factory ruins on the site.

The project also will require approval from the city’s Zoning Hearing Board, and, separately, its land use plan will need both Planning Commission and City Council approval.

Zimmerman declined to offer a timeline, saying that it depended on the city approval process, as well as a capital campaign to raise the $3.5 million project expense.

“We’ll get this done,” he said. “Everyone knows a veteran who served for our freedom. This is our way of giving back.”

For more information about Veteran’s Outreach of Pennsylvania and to contribute to the project, visit www.veteransoutreachofpa.org.

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Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

November 5, 2020 | by Sara Bozich

There are plenty of things to do this weekend around Harrisburg and central PA. Things on my agenda this weekend: relaxxxxxing ? just kidding, idk. I’ll probably get outside as much as possible and hang out with Bo.

For your weekend planning:

My official Fall Bucket List → Check it out.
Jimi offers podcast recommendations.
Make these seasonal Jello shots.
Audit your closet.
Passionate about Pennsylvania? Become a Friend of PA Eats.
Cooking at home a lot? You need this.
See what else you missed on the blog.

Below are ample options for your weekend, whether you’re laying low (there is no shame in the stay home game!) or venturing out.

Weekend Roundup: Things to Do in Harrisburg + around Central PA

Are you on the email list?

Top Weekend Recs

RG Hummer now has a second location at West Shore Farmers Market
Drink PA cider! Ploughman Cider delivers to your door.
Tattered Flag ships beer and spirits faster than Prime! Two words: Canned. Cocktails.
Watch Poured in PA: The Series
Shop online with Meeka Fine Jewelry.

COVID-19 Disclaimer: As always, please click through the links or call ahead to get the most up-to-date information about venues and/or events below. It should also go without saying, but I’ll say it — Mask up, follow the rules, and be nice. And tip extra!

What are you doing this weekend around Harrisburg? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Voters rally at PA Capitol, calling for all ballots to be counted

November 4, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

People at the “Count Every Vote” rally at the state Capitol.

Brittany Smalls has been traveling to counties across Pennsylvania with a message—“Black Voters Matter.”

Throughout the election season, she’s been working to encourage people of color to vote. On Wednesday night, she showed up for the “Count Every Vote” rally at the PA Capitol to make sure all the work she did will count.

“They can’t say the Black community didn’t represent in this election,” she said. “Now, we’ve got to demand our voices be heard.”

As Pennsylvania has yet to finish tallying its votes, President Donald Trump is seeking to end the counting, according to the Associated Press. The news organization said he’s looking to intervene in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to allow a three-day extension for receiving mail-in ballots.

“I think it is important every vote be counted,” said Harrisburg resident Sharmika Fargen, who attended the rally on Wednesday. “I’m staying hopeful and optimistic, but I’m going to use my voice.”

Smalls of Black Voters Matter represented one of the organizations at the rally, along with nonprofit We the People-PA, the organizer of the event, and Capital Rebirth, among others.

Kadida Kenner of the We the People campaign was the host for the event, urging people to demand their votes be counted.

“This election is more about us than it is about the candidates,” she said. “Our votes will decide this election.”

A retired history professor from Shippensburg University, Robert Shaffer, shared his thoughts on Trump trying to end vote-counting from a historical perspective.

“The idea by Trump that fraud is more likely in counting after Election Day has no logical or historical basis,” he said.

He cited many past elections that included vote-counting past Election Day.

After a march down State Street and back, Kenner encouraged the crowd to attend to more “Count Every Vote” rallies that will take place on Thursday and Saturday at the Capitol.

“Our voices will be heard,” she said.

For more information on We the People-PA, visit their website. To learn more about Black Voters Matter, visit www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/.

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A weary Harrisburg awaits presidential election results, as other races favor incumbents

November 4, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

State Street in Harrisburg

Lana Williams describes herself as “beyond tired.”

The 27-year-old Harrisburg resident said that she stayed awake “long past midnight” to see if there would be a final call on the U.S. presidential race between incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

“I was all amped up,” she said. “I finally went to bed but still couldn’t sleep.”

Welcome to election week 2020.

On Wednesday morning, a bleary, quiet capital city arose to try to carry on with the usual workday routine, but some found that difficult to do.

“I keep checking my phone,” Williams said, as she awaited new vote updates.

On Tuesday night, Trump led Biden statewide by margin of 55% to 44%. However, many jurisdictions, including some of the most populous counties, still hadn’t tallied all of their mail-in ballots.

As of noon on Wednesday, almost half of the nearly 2.6 million mail-in votes still had to be counted, according to the PA Department of State. Under state law, counties must count mail-in votes postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received by Friday, Nov. 6.

Locally, Cumberland County did not even start counting its mail-in votes until today.

Statewide, 1.67 million registered Democrats voted by mail or absentee, as did 612,122 registered Republicans, according to the Department of State.

At a press conference this morning, Gov. Tom Wolf urged patience as many county election officials continued to tally mail-in ballots.

“The promise of democracy is that every vote counts,” he said. “I intend, here in Pennsylvania, to make sure we keep that promise.”

He said that the vote counting could continue for several days.

“We may not know the results even today, but the most important thing is that we have accurate results, again, even if that takes longer than we’re used to,” he said.

In Harrisburg, a nonprofit group called We the People—Pennsylvania has scheduled a rally “to count every vote” today at the state Capitol at 5 p.m.

In contrast to statewide data, Dauphin County mostly completed its vote count by the wee hours of Wednesday morning. County voters favored Biden over Trump by more than 8 points–53.25% vs. 45.06%, with most votes counted.

Locally, two of the area’s hottest political races were leaning Republican as of noon on Wednesday.

In PA’s 10th congressional district, Republican incumbent Scott Perry held a 59% to 41% advantage over Democratic challenger Eugene DePasquale, though mail-in votes still had to be counted in Cumberland County.

For state Senate, incumbent Republican John DiSanto held a 3.5-point lead over Democratic challenger George Scott for the 15^th Senatorial District, with most of the votes counted.

For the state House, Rep. Patty Kim (D-103) ran unopposed for re-election, so will serve another two-year term. Just over the city line, long-time incumbent, Rep. Sue Helm (R-104), will also serve another term, beating back a challenge from Democrat Patty Smith by an 11-point margin, with most votes counted.

For the latest vote updates, visit the PA Department of State website.

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“I Voted”: Residents head to the polls, as Dauphin County aims to have most votes tallied tonight

November 3, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

A Power to the Hill volunteer hands a voter an “I voted” sticker.

For a crazy election season, voting in Dauphin County seems to be running pretty smoothly. At least, there are no surprises yet.

Early this morning, in-person voters began making their way to the polls, while those who voted by mail stayed warm at home.

According to Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries, polling places were busy starting at 7 a.m., with some voters waiting an hour or more to cast their ballot. By mid-morning, the crowds had slowed to a steady stream.

Pries expects, by the end of the day, a turnout percentage in the 70s-range, including in-person voting and mail-in ballots.

Although a majority of residents in the county chose to vote by mail this year, some were hesitant.

“I feel like voting in-person is more secure,” said resident John Peterson who cast his vote at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren. “There’s no chance of it getting lost.”

While many, like Peterson, have felt stressed during this election season, volunteers were at the polling location to ease the tension.

“We want to provide a safe, welcoming space whether it’s election day or not,” said Josiah Ludwick, the church’s associate pastor.

Others, like Power to the Hill, a nonprofit focused on voter engagement in Allison Hill, set up snack tables and helped direct voters to the polls.

“This is a chance for us to thank people for voting,” said group co-founder Leta Beam. “It’s to celebrate, to say hooray!”

Power to the Hill volunteers hand out food at Hamilton Health Center.

First-time voter Angelica Marquez voted at Hamilton Health Center this morning.

“Since it was my first time, I wanted the in-person experience,” she said.

While in-person votes around the county roll in today, over 53,000 people already have voted by mail in Dauphin County.

Close to 40 volunteers have been sorting, opening and scanning ballots to be counted since this morning.

“We are very confident in Dauphin County that we are not only going to have our in-person votes tallied tonight […] but we are also hoping and anticipating that we will have all of our mail-in ballots counted by midnight or early tomorrow morning,” Pries said.

Results will begin rolling out by 8:30 p.m., Pries said.

Volunteers are running ballots through a machine that opens the outer and inner envelopes. The fastest of the two machines can open 40,000 envelopes per hour, Pries said. Once opened, ballots are transported to another room for scanning and counting.

Ballots that are missing any piece of information or an envelope, so-called “naked ballots,” may be rejected and voters will be notified, said Dauphin County Elections Office Deputy Director Chris Spackman.

However, Pries said that, when people come to the Dauphin County Administration Building to return their ballot, they are asked whether they have all the envelopes and signatures needed.

There have been a few minor glitches to the ballot counting machines, he added, but they’re still on track to meet their deadline.

Although the period of accepting mail-in ballots was extended for three days under a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Pries believes voters will still have a relatively clear picture of the results.

“We will have a really good idea by late tonight or early hours of the morning what’s happening in these races,” he said.

For more information and to track Election Day results, visit Dauphin County’s website.

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