Pennsylvania: Philadelphia elections board votes to reject state senator’s election audit | MarK Scolforo/Associated Press

Philadelphia’s elections board voted Friday to reject a Republican state senator’s request for access to its voting machines for a “forensic investigation” into former President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat. The Office of the City Commissioners’ unanimous decision will be laid out in a letter telling state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, that Philadelphia “will not participate in your proposed analysis.” Omar Sabir, one of two Democrats on the three-person board, said shortly before the meeting that he thinks it’s time to move on. “It’s time, it’s resources,” he said. “The 2020 election has been proven by many standards that there was no fraud and the election went well.” The vote occurred during a brief meeting at which the three election board members said little about Mastriano’s July 7 request that gave them until the end of the month to reply. Mastriano has said he plans to subpoena the three counties through the state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, which he chairs, but it’s unclear if he has enough support from his fellow Republican senators to follow through with that threat.

 

Full Article: Philly board votes to reject state senator’s election audit

Pennsylvania GOP legislator speaks out against death threats over county refusal to turn over voting machines for audit | Williamsport Sun-Gazette

State Sen. Cris Dush, R-Pine Creek Township, condemned those who are making death threats against the Tioga County commissioners over their decision not to submit voting machines to an election audit in a statement released Friday. “I am outraged at the behavior of those who claim to be in support of the audit process but are seeming to do everything they can to undermine it and the rule of law,” the statement reads. “In the strongest terms, I condemn anyone who makes death threats and other acts of intimidation against the Tioga County commissioners or the employees of the county. This is not the appropriate way to voice your concern. Further, I encourage law enforcement to investigate these threats and to take appropriate action.” Dush, who has given his support to an effort by state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, for an Arizona-style election audit, also acknowledged the commissioners’ reasoning for not submitting to the audit “at this time and in this manner.” The audit would require the county to turn over its election machines, possibly rendering them void for future elections due to stringent requirements outlined by the state. Acting Secretary of State Veronica Degraffenreid, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s top election official, told counties recently the state would decertify any election equipment that is subject to third-party access, citing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s designation of election equipment as “critical infrastructure.”

Full Article: Pa. GOP legislator blasts threats against Tioga County commissioners over election audit – The Morning Call

Texas audit proposed by GOP would miss minor but real errors | Nicholas Riccardi and Paul Weber/Associated Press

A group of Texas Republicans wants to audit the 2020 election results in just the large, mostly Democratic counties across the state. If they get their way, they’ll miss many of the real — but minor — errors in the state’s vote count. That’s according to a team of researchers that conducted a statewide analysis of the results across both Democratic and Republican counties. The group found a series of errors that would not come close to changing Republican Donald Trump’s victory in the state or any other statewide race. But the errors stretch across both Republican and Democratic counties. The research adds to a pile of evidence that contradicts the belief, widespread among Republicans, that elections in Democratic areas are rife with errors, irregularities and mismanagement. While errors in the tally do occur, research shows they tend to be random and small scale and do not benefit one party or the other. In Texas, the mistakes, detected by election researchers from the University of Florida, were scattered across 37 of Texas’ 254 counties. They added or subtracted a handful of votes from various candidates with no skew toward one party or the other. Trump apparently received 223 more votes than the 5,890,347 that the Texas secretary of state lists as the Republican’s total. Democrat Joe Biden appears to have received 155 more votes than his listed 5,259,126, according to the research. Minor mistakes like the Texas ones are relatively common, say election experts. In Texas, the errors are likely due to the state’s use of an older computer system that requires counties to enter their tallies by hand, increasing the risk of errors when the wrong digit is typed.

 

Full Article: Texas audit proposed by GOP would miss minor but real errors

Virginia State Senator calls for ‘forensic audit’ of state’s elections | Andrew Cain/Richmond Times-Dispatch

Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, rallied with several dozen supporters outside the state Capitol on Monday to call for a “forensic audit” of Virginia’s electoral process. Since the November election former President Donald Trump and many of his supporters have continued to promote debunked or unsubstantiated claims of election fraud that election officials and courts have rejected. Democrat Joe Biden beat Trump in Virginia by 10 percentage points. “It’s so imperative that we make 100% sure that voters have 100% confidence in our election process,” Chase said at the Capitol Monday speaking in front of perhaps two dozen supporters holding homemade signs. “It’s important that we audit Virginia. It’s important we have a forensic audit, not the faux audit that the State Board of Elections did.” Chase said that when the General Assembly makes decisions Virginians need to know that “these people are elected by we the people” and that the decisions they make “are what the people want.” In March the Virginia Department of Elections said that election administrators around the state had completed an audit of ballot scanner machines used in the November elections in which Biden defeated Trump and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., beat Republican Daniel Gade.

Full Article: Chase calls for ‘forensic audit’ of Virginia’s elections | State and Regional News | roanoke.com

Wisconsin Republican expands 2020 election investigation | Scott Bauer/Associated Press

The highest ranking Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly said Friday that he was expanding a probe into the 2020 presidential election, saying it will take more investigators and time than originally planned. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos signed contracts in June with two retired police detectives and a former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice to handle the investigation. But those two investigators quit earlier this month, Vos confirmed for the first time Friday, leading him to “take a different tack.” Vos has designated retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman as a “special counsel” and empowered him to hire as many investigators as he wants, with the goal of completing the probe this fall. “If he thinks he needs one person, great,” Vos told The Associated Press. “If he thinks he needs half a dozen, great.” Gableman did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment. The move comes amid growing calls from former President Donald Trump and other Wisconsin Republicans for a broader audit. Vos announced the move just three days after he said a fellow Republican lawmaker who was calling for a “forensic audit” was misinformed about the work already underway.

Full Article: Wisconsin Republican expands 2020 election investigation