New polling place to open at Lehigh-owned church

The polling location for Bethlehem’s 3rd Ward is moving from the Banana Factory on West Third Street to the former St. Peter’s Church on Vine Street.

St. Peter’s, one of three churches Lehigh purchased in 2023, was announced as the new polling location by Northampton County officials earlier this month. The location change is due to the impending demolition of the Banana Factory, which is set to be replaced by the new ArtsQuest Creative Factory, as well as many people’s concerns about civic engagement and excessive wait times.

Bethlehem’s 3rd Ward includes Lehigh students who reside on campus and many in surrounding off-campus housing who are registered to vote in Pennsylvania. 

On Nov. 6, 2024, this group of voters waited in a 1,038-foot line surrounding the perimeter of the Banana Factory to cast their ballot in the presidential election. The average wait time was five and a half hours, and the last person in line cast their vote at 9:31 p.m. 

Nicole Pietrzak, the director of administration for Northampton County, said a combination of high voter turnout, large influxes of people showing up early in the morning and low-utilization of mail-in ballots contributed to the long wait times. 

She also said the county’s judge of elections, the person who ensures a free and fair process occurs on Election Day, did not handle or respond appropriately to the unexpected issues that arose and the crowds at the Banana Factory. 

However, she said the Banana Factory received more resources than any other polling location in the county, including additional voting machines throughout the day, two additional poll books, 10 additional workers and an onsite voting machine technician.

“That was kind of the conundrum,” Pietrzak said. “How is it that we poured more resources into (the Banana Factory) than anywhere else, and it just didn’t seem to make a difference?” 

Jack Ciavolella, ‘26, witnessed the long lines at the Banana Factory in November. Afterward, he said he felt compelled to speak up for other 3rd Ward residents who struggled to cast their vote.

“This wasn’t just some kind of thing that you could just sit on and hope it goes away, because I’m not gonna let that happen,” he said. “I started going to Easton about twice a month to speak to the people and county council about it.”

Ciavolella said he believes his advocacy helped to bring about the change in polling location —  a move he said he hopes will make voting easier for everyone. He said the new polling location is closer to campus, which is convenient for students and residents, especially retirees who may have lived far away from the previous location.

Despite the change, he said he’s still concerned about future voter turnout and the possibility of the problems that occurred in November repeating. He said implementing more voting machines and early voting measures could help reduce pressure on the 3rd Ward.

According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website, the state offers early voting through on-demand voting. Registered voters can apply for a mail-in ballot at their county elections office, complete it on-site and submit it in one visit. 

But Ciavolella said this option is difficult for students in Bethlehem, as the Northampton County Elections Office is located in Easton, which can be inaccessible to those without transportation.

Pietrzak said the county is working to provide a closer on-demand voting option for those in the Bethlehem area, and she hopes this will be ready before the municipal election in November 2025. 

Eesha Gudoor, ‘26, worked at the Banana Factory polling place from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the last presidential general election and assisted with voter registration. 

She said one machine broke early in the morning, and those working at the location faced ongoing technical difficulties throughout the day. 

Gudoor also said those working the polls did not have clear directions from the majority or minority inspectors on what to do when voters were flagged as needing a provisional ballot. 

“It was a hot day,” she said. “People were getting really exhausted and tired. It wasn’t just emotionally draining for us but for everyone waiting in line too.”

Despite the difficulties, she said the experience didn’t discourage her. Instead, it motivated her, especially because she knew her effort was making a difference as Bethlehem had a significant impact on the national election. 

In the future, Pietrzak said county voting officials are working to ensure the municipal November 2025 election runs more smoothly. 

She said one solution could be to encourage more students to vote by mail, which would ease the strain on high-volume polling locations like Bethlehem’s 3rd Ward.

Pietrzak said she feels optimistic that the new polling location will improve voter experiences otherwise.

“This is just going to benefit the entire district — Lehigh students and also South Side Bethlehem residents,” she said. “Proximity is the biggest asset.”