FILE – Election workers perform a recount of ballots from the recent Pennsylvania primary election at the Allegheny County Election Division warehouse on the Northside of Pittsburgh, June 1, 2022. Unlike in many other countries, elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized, complex and feature a long list of races on the ballot, from president or Congress all the way down to local ballot measures or town council seats. Rules also vary greatly by state. Some give local election offices several weeks before Election Day to process mailed ballots, which includes steps that may include checking signatures or ID information. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Lycoming County Commissioners still are not on the same page regarding the 2020 election vote recount.

A discussion at a recent commissioners meeting considered different issues, including how much it will cost to conduct the recount, how long it will take, and if volunteers could be used for the process.

Commissioner Rick Mirabito disputed estimates putting the cost at as little as $50,000. He also questioned using county employees to do the work.

“We aren’t budgeted for this,” he said. “The responsible thing for us to do is put it in the budget and identify it as overtime. Some departments say they can’t spare people. The process may take longer and that means a greater chance we go into overtime.”

John Shireman, of Jersey Shore, told commissioners his own calculations put a recount at a cost of $160,000.

“The responsible thing to do is not throw numbers out there that we don’t have the facts on,” Commissioner Scott Metzger said.

It’s difficult at this point, he noted, to know how long the process will even take.

Mirabito said, at any rate, funding for the recount needs to be put in the 2023 budget.

“When do we ever do anything in the county without first estimating the costs?” he asked.

Commissioner Tony Mussare said a recount will help people understand the voting process.

“How many people don’t vote correctly?” he asked. “If you don’t fill in the circle and don’t stay within the circle, your vote doesn’t count. Just the educational process of running this exercise is enough.”

Tom Adams, of Williamsport, said the recount should be done as a special project, “which happens from time to time.”

“I volunteer to count without pay,” he said.

“We should budget for it. We shouldn’t just proceed into it without budgeting for it,” Mirabito said.

As for using volunteers, Mirabito said it would mean training people committed to carrying out the important job of handling ballots.

Commissioners in October voted in favor of a recount of the 2020 election results. Some 5,000 people, about 4% of the county’s population, had signed a petition calling for a recount.