Pennsylvania: As 2024 election approaches, voting officials worry state isn’t prepared for misinformation | Kate HuangpuSpotlight PA

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, election officials in Pennsylvania are urging the state to update its century-old Election Code and make critical adjustments to mail voting processes to fortify the system against baseless fraud claims. The election directors are proposing changes like clarifying mail voting rules, allowing poll workers to count ballots before Election Day through pre-canvassing, updating the Election Code to reflect technological advancements, and imposing penalties for false claims and harassment of election officials. However, there is skepticism about the state legislature’s willingness to pass such changes, and the political divide on election issues persists. Read Article

Texas: Travis County GOP unable to secure resources for hand counting in primary election | Grace Reader/KXAN

The Travis County Republican Party in Texas was unable to secure the necessary resources to hand count early voting ballots in the March primary election, despite ongoing negotiations with the Travis County Democratic Party. Only Republican mail-in ballots will be hand-counted, while early voting ballots will not undergo the same process. The deadline for the GOP to gather volunteers and resources was December 31, and it was not met, according to County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado. Read Article

Wisconsin judge rules election clerks can accept absentee ballots missing parts of witness address | Jessie Opoien/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A Dane County judge in Wisconsin ruled that election clerks in the state may accept absentee ballots with incomplete witness addresses, as long as they can determine how to reach the witness from the available information. The decision came in response to a request by a Madison voter and the liberal group Rise Inc. to revise guidance provided by the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) on handling incomplete addresses. The ruling establishes a uniform standard and is expected to reduce the rejection of absentee ballots. The decision may be appealed and could reach the state Supreme Court. Read Article

National: China, Russia, Iran and Cuba all tried to meddle in 2022 US congressional elections, intelligence assessment finds | Katie Bo Lillis/CNN

A declassified intelligence assessment released Monday revealed that foreign government efforts to target the 2022 U.S. midterm elections appeared to increase compared to the 2018 elections, involving a diverse and growing group of foreign actors. While there was no known order from any foreign leader to undertake a comprehensive, whole-of-government influence campaign like Russia in 2016, the report identified China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba attempting to meddle in congressional elections. China, with high confidence, was assessed to have tacitly approved efforts to influence specific midterm races, aiming to intensify efforts to influence U.S. policy and public opinion in its favor. Russia sought to denigrate the Democratic Party and undermine confidence in the elections, targeting specific demographics. Iran aimed to exploit social divisions and undermine confidence in U.S. democratic institutions, with efforts limited by competing priorities. The report highlighted that foreign actors avoided technically challenging efforts to change actual votes, focusing on damaging the public perception of election integrity. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Increase in ballot errors linked to loss of election worker experience | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Counties in Pennsylvania have experienced an increase in election administration errors impacting voters’ ballots, with 16 errors reported by 12 counties in the November municipal election, more than double the number of errors from any other election since 2019. The errors, including instructions to vote for the wrong number of candidates and races left off the ballot, are linked to turnover and the loss of experience at local election offices. The errors have raised concerns about voters’ trust in elections, especially in anticipation of a highly contentious presidential election in 2024. Election experts and the Department of State acknowledge that the increase is associated with new election administrators and staff turnover. Read Article

National: 2022 federal elections in the US not tainted by foreign interference, officials say | Eric Tucker’/Associated Press

A declassified U.S. government report released Monday states that foreign hackers did not alter vote totals or compromise the integrity of federal elections in the United States last year. The report, prepared jointly by the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, identified instances of hackers linked to Iran, China, and Russia connecting to election infrastructure, scanning state government websites, and copying voter information. However, there is no evidence that these cyber activities had any impact on the election or vote totals. The report did not examine foreign efforts to shape public perception or influence voters’ opinions but focused on assessing the impact of foreign government activity on election infrastructure. Read Article

National: GOP voter-fraud crackdown overwhelmingly targets minorities, Democrats | Justin Jouvenal/The Washington Post

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Republicans in six states established or expanded election integrity units to address alleged voter fraud. However, analysis by The Washington Post found that these units obtained only 47 convictions during a period when tens of millions of votes were cast. Moreover, the analysis revealed that the units overwhelmingly targeted minorities and Democrats for prosecution. Of the defendants whose race or ethnicity could be identified, 76 percent were Black or Hispanic, while registered Democrats constituted 58 percent of those charged. The cases pursued often collapsed, with 42 out of 115 cases resolved ending in dismissal, acquittal, or dropped charges. The Post’s findings have raised concerns among experts and advocates, who argue that the units have been a waste of money and may undermine democracy. Read Article

National: Some Trump fake electors from 2020 haven’t faded away. They have roles in how the 2024 race is run | Gabe Stern/Associated Press

Six Republicans, including Jim Hindle, who were allegedly involved in attempting to overturn the election outcome in Nevada, have been indicted by Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. Hindle, who oversees elections in heavily Republican Storey County, replaced the interim clerk and remains in his role despite the charges. The trend of fake electors retaining influence over elections is observed in battleground states like Wisconsin, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. In Wisconsin, Bob Spindell, involved in the 2020 fake elector scheme, remains on the bipartisan election commission, while in Arizona, fake electors Jake Hoffman and Anthony Kern hold powerful legislative roles. Read Article

National: Alphabet to limit election queries Bard and AI-based search can answer | Reuters

Google has announced that it will restrict the types of election-related queries that its chatbot Bard and search generative experience can respond to in the lead-up to the 2024 U.S. Presidential election, with enforcement expected by early 2024. The company plans to focus on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in serving voters and campaigns related to the 2024 elections, in the US and internationally. This move follows Meta’s November decision to bar political campaigns and advertisers from using its new generative AI advertising products. Governments globally are increasingly looking to regulate AI due to concerns about its potential misuse, particularly in the spread of misinformation. Read Article

National: Google restricts political ads, X courts them as US election year looms | John Leonard/computing.co.uk

As the U.S. presidential election year approaches, Google and Twitter are adopting different approaches to election-related content and political advertising on their platforms. Google has announced that it will restrict the types of election-related queries to which its AI chatbot Bard and Search Generative Experience (SGE) can respond, aiming to reduce the spread of misinformation and protect the election’s integrity. In contrast, X (formerly Twitter) is actively seeking political advertising dollars after experiencing a 50% drop in revenues. Twitter had banned political ads in 2019 but X reversed course in August 2022 and is building a dedicated political ad sales team to target campaigners and political action committees, with a rumored target of $100 million from political ads in the 2024 election cycle. Read Article

Arizona: Cochise County supervisors plead not guilty in election interference case | Joe Duhownik/Courthouse News Service

Two Cochise County supervisors, Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and interfering with an elections officer in Arizona. The supervisors are accused of conspiring to delay the canvassing of votes cast in the 2022 general election until they received evidence that the ballot tabulation machines used were properly certified. The delay violated the legal deadline, and the board completed the canvass three days later, complying with a state judge’s order. The indictment comes amid a surge of unproven claims of election fraud, particularly in Arizona, where the issue has been a focal point. The charges are class 5 felonies, carrying potential penalties of up to 2.5 years in prison or a $150,000 fine. Read Article

Colorado Supreme Court justices face a flood of threats after disqualifying Trump from the ballot | Ryan J. Reilly/NBC

In the 24 hours following the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot, social media platforms have experienced an influx of threats against the justices involved in the case. A report by nonpartisan organization Advance Democracy reveals a notable increase in violent rhetoric directed at the justices and Democrats, often linked to Trump’s posts on his Truth Social platform. Some users even shared personal information of the justices, including email addresses, phone numbers, and office addresses. The threats, including calls for violence and harm, align with a pattern observed after legal actions against Trump, raising concerns about the normalization of such violent rhetoric and the role of social media platforms in its dissemination. Read Article

Georgia: Missing 2020 poll tapes don’t prove 20,713 votes never existed. Other records are available | Melissa Goldin/Associated Press

The claim that 20,713 votes in Fulton County, Georgia, included in the 2020 election night tally do not exist is false. A complaint to the Georgia State Election Board mentioned an email from Fulton County stating that poll tapes from 10 machines “do not exist.” Poll tapes, though important, are just one part of the paper trail documenting the vote, recorded on memory cards and in official statements released by Georgia counties. Three separate counts of Georgia’s votes consistently found similar results in Fulton County, with Joe Biden winning both the county and the state each time. Mark Lindemann, Verified Voting’s policy and strategy director, noted that missing poll tapes are not suspicious, citing factors like a new voting system and the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Article

Michigan: Lawyer used state lawmaker to get voting machines, prosecutor says | Craig Mauger The Detroit News

A special prosecutor has submitted a court filing opposing a motion by former Michigan State Rep. Daire Rendon to dismiss two felony charges against her related to an attempt to obtain voting machines for an investigation into alleged fraud during the 2020 presidential election. The filing reveals that Rendon allegedly convinced local officials in her legislative district to provide tabulators to a private investigator involved in the attempt to prove election fraud. The prosecutor argues that Rendon’s conduct falls outside the legislative sphere, emphasizing that there were no subpoenas or formal investigatory mechanisms used by her to obtain the tabulators. Read Article

Michigan: Trump recorded pressuring Wayne County canvassers not to certify 2020 vote | Craig Mauger/The Detroit News

Then-President Donald Trump personally pressured two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, Monica Palmer and William Hartmann, not to sign the certification of the 2020 presidential election, according to newly revealed recordings. The Nov. 17, 2020, phone call, which also involved Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, featured Trump urging the canvassers to reject certification, stating they would look “terrible” if they signed after initially opposing certification. The canvassers later attempted to rescind their votes in favor of certification. Read Article

Nevada GOP ‘fake electors’ plead not guilty to felony charges in Las Vegas | Gabby Birenbaum/The Nevada Independent

Six Nevada Republicans, including state party Chair Michael McDonald, have pleaded not guilty to felony charges related to their attempt to pledge the state’s electoral votes to Donald Trump after the 2020 election. The charges, brought almost three years after the defendants participated in a fake signing ceremony, include offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument. The charges carry a minimum sentence of one year and a maximum of four to five years. Read Article

New York Democrats remove state’s top elections official | Bill Mahoney/Politico

Douglas Kellner, a long-serving advocate for election integrity and transparency in New York, was been ousted as co-chair of the state Board of Elections. Kellner, who oversaw transformative changes in New York’s elections during his 18 year tenure, had been critical of the ES&S ExpressVote XL, which was certified by the .board earlier this year. The move to replace him with Henry Berger comes as the board gears up for a significant role in launching a public campaign financing system next year. Critics argue that the change is untimely, particularly in the run-up to the crucial 2024 vote. Read Article

North Dakota could become the first state to hand count all votes under new proposal | Jack Dura/Associated Press

A proposed ballot measure in North Dakota aims to require all election ballots to be counted by hand, potentially becoming the first state to mandate hand counts. However, election officials, including former Secretary of State Al Jaeger, reject these claims, asserting that there was nothing that would have changed the outcome of the vote. Opponents of the proposal, including North Dakota’s Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe, argue that hand counts would lead to delays and increased errors compared to using scanners. Critics also highlight the lack of specificity in the measure regarding the process and funding for hand counts. If the proposal makes the June 2024 ballot and is approved by voters, North Dakota would replace ballot scanners with manual counting by hundreds of workers across the state. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Cancellation of project to upgrade outdated voter roll system leaves election officials with no relief in sight | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Pennsylvania has canceled a planned upgrade to its outdated Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE), the system managing voter rolls. This decision, affecting the upcoming presidential election, has left officials frustrated with the obsolete SURE system, citing frequent outages and malfunctions. The cancellation of the $10.7 million contract with KNOWiNK was based on concerns that the vendor wouldn’t meet timelines and contractual standards. The SURE system, introduced in 2003, lacks compatibility with modern requirements, like tracking mail ballots, causing delays and complications for election administrators. Read Article

South Dakota: Minnehaha County auditor responds to criticism of her comments on county’s voting system | Trevor J. Mitchell/Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Minnehaha County Auditor Leah Anderson responded to criticism from South Dakota Democrats regarding her comments on the county’s election systems, stating that her goal is to ensure accurate, accessible, and secure elections. Anderson recently criticized the state’s voting equipment vendoor ES&S on a conference call, claiming they weren’t providing proper training and expressing mistrust in the voting systems. Anderson also raised concerns about ES&S machines that “flipped votes” in Northampton County Pennsylvania – although those machines were ExpressVote XLs, which are not used in South Dakota. Read Article

Texas Republicans want to hand count 2024 primary ballots. Experts say it’s “a recipe for disaster.” | Natalia Contreras/Votebeat

Gillespie County Republicans in Texas plan to conduct their primary election by hand-counting votes, a method criticized by experts as time-consuming, costly, less accurate, and less secure than using machines. Despite the risks of lawsuits, reprimands, and unnecessary expenses, the county’s GOP leaders have embraced this approach, recruiting and training volunteers to manually tally votes in dozens of races on over 3,000 expected ballots. The decision has raised concerns about the reliability and validity of the election outcome, potentially undermining confidence. Other counties, including Dallas and Travis, briefly considered hand-counting but rejected it due to logistical challenges and high costs. Read Article

Wisconsin elections commission rejects complaint against Trump fake electors for second time | Scott Bauer/Associated Press

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has unanimously rejected, for the second time, a complaint against fake presidential electors who sought to cast the state’s ballots for Donald Trump in the 2020 election. The commission initially rejected the complaint in March 2022, but a judge ordered a rehearing in May. The complaint asked the commission to investigate the fake electors’ actions and declare them in violation of the law. The commission’s closed-door discussion and unanimous vote were released on Wednesday, without providing an explanation for the decision. Read Article

Wyoming group tries to make a case for paper ballots and hand counting ballots to the Sweetwater County Commissioners | Wyo4News

The Cause of Wyoming group, affiliated with Cause of America, presented an “Election Integrity Proposal” at the Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting, advocating for a shift from the current voting system to paper ballots with manual counting. In response, Commissioner Mary E. Thoman emphasized the county’s use of paper ballots and poll books. Commissioner Island Richards stated, “We have electronic equipment that is backed up by paper ballots. We’re not voting on the screens that we saw in your presentation … We’re voting on paper ballots.” Richards said, “I have looked at and tracked Sweetwater County voting trends for years, and there are leaps of conclusions in those that aren’t backed up by any facts. The presentation … has so many logical fallacies in it that it’s hard to take seriously.” Read Article

National: Growing threat of political violence looms over 2024, former members of Congress warn | Jacob Fischler/Michigan Advance

Former members of Congress, including ex-Senator Doug Jones and former Representative Barbara Comstock, express deep concern about the rising acceptance of political violence ahead of the 2024 presidential election. They attribute much of the blame to former President Donald Trump and his supporters, citing coded language and intentional threats. A recent poll indicates an increase in the number of respondents who believe resorting to violence is necessary to save the country. The former lawmakers stress the importance of addressing this trend to protect democracy, acknowledging the impact on election workers, with concerns raised about threats and abuse faced by state and local officials. Read Article

National: States that left ERIC are struggling to maintain voter rolls, documents show | Jen Fifield/Votebeat

Several Republican-led states are facing challenges in finding effective ways to update their voter rolls after withdrawing from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a cross-state voter roll cleaning program. Virginia paid $29,000 to regain limited access to ERIC data. Alabama and Missouri devised less rigorous plans for cleaning voter rolls. A proposed alternative system faced a server attack. Documents reveal that lies were spread about ERIC, and officials in some states tried unsuccessfully to prevent their withdrawal. The exodus from ERIC, fueled by misinformation, compromises the ability to share data and maintain accurate voter rolls, raising concerns about election integrity and access to voting. Read Article

Georgia: Local elections officials inundated with records requests by rightwing activists | Jewel Wicker/The Guardian

Georgia elections officials are facing an increased workload and stress due to an influx of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and open records requests from rightwing activists who believe in unfounded claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. Deb Cox, elections director of Lowndes County, has seen the number of FOIA requests rise significantly, straining resources and requiring additional staff hours. Across the U.S., similar trends are observed, with election-denying activists seeking extensive information to substantiate false claims about the 2020 election and to influence future elections. The increased workload adds pressure to elections officials, particularly in swing states like Georgia, as they prepare for the 2024 presidential election. Read Article

National: Meta ad policy allowing 2020 election denial followed warning of political backlash, sources say | Max Zahn/ABC

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, faced internal discussions over its policy toward election-denial claims in political advertising in 2022. The company considered banning political ads that denied the results of previous elections, including the 2020 contest, but some employees warned of potential harm to Meta’s standing with Republican elected officials and candidates. Ultimately, Meta decided to permit political advertisements featuring false claims of a rigged 2020 election on Instagram and Facebook, while prohibiting ads that question the validity of ongoing or future elections. Critics argue that the policy decision was influenced by political considerations and the prevalence of 2020 election denial among Republicans. Read Article

National: The cyber expert who took Mike Lindell’s $5 million challenge and won | Deena Winter/Minnesota Reformer

Bob Zeidman, a cyber forensics expert, was initially reluctant to take up MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s $5 million challenge to disprove claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. Zeidman, who voted for Donald Trump, attended Lindell’s “cyber symposium” and discovered that the data presented as evidence was bogus. An arbitration panel ruled in Zeidman’s favor, stating that Lindell’s claims were not substantiated. In an interview, Zeidman discussed Lindell’s lack of understanding of the technology involved, the mistakes in presenting data, and his belief that there was no purposeful effort by voting machine companies to change the election results. Read Article

National: Russia’s 2016 election meddling could play a role in Trump’s 2020 election case | Eric Tucker/Associated Press

In an upcoming trial focused on Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, both the defense and prosecutors have expressed a desire to highlight events from the 2016 election, each for distinct purposes. Trump’s defense team seeks materials related to Russian interference in 2016, claiming it’s relevant to his confidence in the 2020 election’s security. Prosecutors, on the other hand, want to present Trump’s “historical record” of sowing doubt in election results, including claims of fraud in 2016, to establish a pattern of behavior indicating intent and motive to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election results. Read Article

Editorial: Threats on election workers surge ahead of presidential year | The San Antonio Express-News

Any threat against an election worker is a threat against democracy, and with the 2024 presidential election looming, the peril is real and chilling. Self-styled freedom fighters, confusing anarchy with patriotism, are attacking our single most important right — the vote. The polls give the people a voice, a say, in how government is run. To pervert that process is to squander our legacy of democracy. The targets are election workers who keep the machinery of democracy running. Some are well known, including secretaries of state who lead the effort throughout the country, but most are anonymous, and for good reason. They do their jobs so well that they attract little attention, whether positively or negatively. Read Editorial