A Schuylkill County resident had negative comments at Thursday’s meeting for the commissioners regarding the way the election was handled.

Ringtown resident Douglas Litwhiler called the commissioners to task for the precincts running out of ballots Nov. 3. As is policy, county residents are required to submit their comments in writing to the chief clerk by 3 p.m. the day before the meeting.

Commissioners’ Chairman Barron “Boots” Hetherington read Litwhiler’s comments which mentioned the election and other topics.

Litwhiler called the snafu of running out of ballots “unacceptable.”

“All you guys want to do is toot your own horn and make it seem like you are the greatest,” he wrote.

Butler Township-Altmont, Gilberton, Hegins and Ryan Township ran out of regular ballots.

Hetherington, Commissioner George Halcovage Jr. and County Administrator Gary Bender took issue with Litwhiler’s comments.

Bender said it was a “slap in the face” to the dedication of the those working on Election Day.

“This was a very cumbersome election out there. It was a very stressful day,” he said.

About 80 percent of eligible voters cast votes in the Nov. 3 election, Elections Director Albert Gricoski said.

Hetherington said the comments were a disservice to those who devoted their time for democracy.

“We will make sure we are not having that problem again,” Halcovage said about running out of ballots.

Gricoski previously said the elections office uses a formula to allocate the number of ballots given to each precinct that includes past voting patterns. Additional ballots were allotted to precincts to account for the increased interest in the presidential election.

To those who complain, he urged them to “get involved in the process.” He thanked Gricoski for his leadership. This was his first as election director, having been appointed after former director Frannie Brennan retired earlier this year.

“Thank you to everyone in the county that got out to vote,” Halcovage said.