As released by the Dauphin County Elections Bureau:

HARRISBURG, PA (February 20, 2013) - More than 5,000 Susquehanna Township residents should be on the look out for new voter registration cards being mailed to them, according to the Dauphin County Board of Elections. New cards will be mailed by Thursday, Feb. 21, and will inform each voter of his or her new ward and polling place.

Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, the Susquehanna Township Board of Commissioners filed a reapportioned map designating new boundaries for its nine wards. As a result of this action, the Dauphin County Board of Elections moved to realign voting districts to mirror the new ward boundaries.

“As Susquehanna Township elects its nine commissioners by ward, it only makes sense to ensure that voters be assigned to election districts that match the commissioner wards,” said Mike Pries, chair of the County Elections Board.

The county’s election district changes were approved by Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Bernard Coates and the Pennsylvania Department of State. With notification that the Department of State on February 4, the Dauphin County Bureau of Registrations and Elections was assigned the task of shifting registered voters into new wards and issuing new registration cards.

As part of today’s action, the Board of Elections also approved a package of polling places for the nine wards.

While the polling locations will remain the same, the selection of two polling places have been switched based on the redrawn ward lines. Residents of the newly-drawn Second Ward now will vote in the Pheasant Hill Estates Community Center, 4400 Pheasant Hill Rd., just off North Progress Avenue and Linglestown Road; residents of the newly-drawn Eight Ward now will vote at the Susquehanna Township Municipal Building, at 1900 Linglestown Rd.

On February 19, candidates for Susquehanna Township commissioner were able to begin circulating petitions for the upcoming May 21 primary election. As such, candidates and voters will want to make sure that they are aware of their voting ward before circulating or signing any nomination petitions.

In related action, 54 residents of Penbrook Borough will receive updated voter registration cards based on a reapportioned map approved by Penbrook Borough Council. All four wards of Penbrook will continue to vote at the Municipal Building at 150 S. 28th St.

In other related action, the polling place for Swatara Township’s Sixth Ward was moved to Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church, 165 N. 67th St. The Board of Elections approved the move after receiving a petition from registered voters from the ward.

Photo/Natalie Cake