Nov 1, 2012 2 min read

HARRISBURG – Officials say they expect next Tuesday’s election to proceed without significant problems in Pennsylvania, as crews focus on restoring power to voting sites.A spokesman for Gov. Tom Corbett says voting precincts are a priority for repair crews, after hospitals and other critical care facilities.”We are confident counties will be able to conduct next Tuesday’s election without significant disruption,” Department of State spokesman Ron Ruman told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.Voting machines have backup batteries that last about six hours, and officials could stagger the use of battery-powered machines, Ruman said. The department recommended that counties keep a supply of paper ballots equal to 20 percent of registered voters, he said.”I don’t get any sense there will be a huge problem,” said G. Terry Madonna, a pollster with Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.Corbett has also ordered some county election offices to extend the deadline for absentee ballots to be returned following the disruptions caused by this week’s massive storm.Absentee voters in counties where election offices were closed this week have until 5 p.m. Monday to submit their ballots, either by mail or in person.The extension applies only to counties where the office of the board of elections was closed due to the storm. Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele says Thursday’s order will allow those requiring an absentee ballot an additional chance to ensure their vote is counted.