Carbon County officials are urging those who have applied for mail-in or absentee ballots to drop their completed ballots off at the county election office rather than put it in the mail.

With only days left before the 2020 presidential election, officials fear that if ballots are mailed now, they will not be received in time to be counted.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that 11,235 mail-in ballots were requested. Approximately 8,200 have been completed and returned as of Thursday.

Completed ballots must be either postmarked by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 or dropped off at the election office, located at 76 Susquehanna St. There is a secured drop slot at the entrance of the building that is checked throughout the day.

The completed ballots may not be returned to the voter’s voting precinct on Election Day.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the county must accept completed ballots that come in by mail until 5 p.m. on Nov. 6, but the postmark must be before the election is over.

He said that as part of this extended collection time given by a court ruling, the county must track everything that comes in late, including post mark, when it was delivered, and voter information. But guidance has been changing daily so officials said getting ballots in by the end of the election is best.

He noted that the only solid numbers the county will be able to release from the election on election night are the figures from the polling precincts.

Mail-in and absentee ballot totals cannot be released until all ballots are processed and scanned in.

“Don’t expect the numbers immediately,” Nothstein said. “It’s going to be a long process.

“We are doing everything possible to make sure we have a secure and safe election.”

For those who have a mail-in ballot and decide to vote in person, must bring in the entire mail-in ballot packet to be voided. They can then vote traditionally after signing a declaration. If the packet is not complete, that voter must then vote provisional and the election office will determine if that person voted already or if the provisional will count.