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After Being Inundated With Questions, Butler County Creates Election Call Center

By: KDKA-TV's Jennifer Borrasso

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) -- Butler County has set up an election call center after voters complained that they did not receive their mail-in ballots.

"A lot of us are putting in 70, 80, 90 hours a week," said Butler County Election Clerk Nick Brackett.

Aaron Sheasley, the director of elections in Butler County, says preparing for an election in 2020 has been a tedious process.

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"We are not only doing mail-in ballots, we are preparing for the election," Sheasley said. "We are making sure all of the poll workers' steps are in place. It's kind of like conducting an orchestra."

To make things more efficient, Sheasley formed a call center to handle the large influx of calls pouring in while others focus on processing things like mail-in ballots.

"We are talking sometimes a thousand calls a day," he said.

Election worker Debbie Drushel has helped answer some of the calls.

"A lot of people are frustrated they haven't received them yet," said Drushel, an election clerk. "They were not aware that there was a lawsuit at the state level.

"We didn't get our ballots until Oct. 1 so we've been scrambling."

RELATED STORY: Computer Glitch Leaves Butler County Residents Waiting For Mail-In Ballots Despite Applying Weeks Ago

Scrambling after numerous voters complained that they did not receive ballots. KDKA reported last week that there was a glitch in the SURE system after someone at the state level entered the wrong information. The county could also not print ballots until the state Supreme Court ruled on a challenge with the Green party.

"It's been a lot of frustration for the voters, as well as us to get it taken care of," said Drushel.

While the end is in sight, you still have time to apply for a mail-in ballot. The deadline for getting an application is Oct 27.

The call center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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