Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania can require voters to put a date on mail ballots, U.S. appeals court rules | Carter Walker/Votebeat

A federal appeals court decision upholding Pennsylvania’s rules for voting by mail could mean that tens of thousands of ballots are rejected in this year’s election because they lack a date or are misdated. But the full impact of the ruling is still up in the air while the parties who brought the case decide whether to appeal. A panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 Wednesday that a Pennsylvania law requiring mail voters to handwrite a date on the return envelope did not violate a provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that’s meant to protect voters from being denied the right to register to vote. The decision could have broad implications: If plaintiffs appeal to the Supreme Court and justices uphold it, it could become precedent for the entire country, rather than just the jurisdictions in the 3rd Circuit. Such a ruling could limit how the Civil Rights Act applies to requirements for casting a ballot. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Overworked, underpaid, under attack: on the frontlines in a US election office | Sam Levine/The Guardian

Emily Cook, the deputy director in the Luzerne County election office, found herself thrust into a chaotic situation on election day in November 2022 when reports of paper shortages at polling locations flooded in. As tensions escalated, she faced harassment and threats, reflecting a broader trend of election officials leaving their positions due to similar pressures nationwide since 2020. Cook, who has witnessed high turnover in her office, now finds herself as the acting election director, grappling with the challenge of stabilizing the bureau amidst political uncertainty and public distrust. Despite the daunting task ahead, Cook remains committed to restoring confidence in the county's electoral processes, recognizing the importance of transparency and perseverance in the face of adversity. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Cybersecurity experts urge return to hand-marked paper ballots | Peter Hall/Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Hand marked paper ballots that are electronically scanned and stored for future review are the basis of a resilient and trustworthy election system, cybersecurity and election integrity experts told Pennsylvania Senate lawmakers on Monday. They urged members of the Senate State Government Committee to move Pennsylvania away from the use of electronic ballot marking devices, such as the touchscreen voting machines used by the state’s most populous county, Philadelphia, and in Northampton County, where errors involving the machines have twice raised questions about their accuracy. “Election security requires considering a wide range of threats to elections, from simple rainstorms to sophisticated adversaries,” said Kevin Skoglund, president and chief technologist for Citizens for Better Elections, a non-partisan group based in Pennsylvania. “With so many types of threats it may be surprising to learn that the majority of the security risks can be mitigated through two measures: resilience planning, and evidence based elections.” Read Article

Pennsylvania: Replacing some voting machines gains bi-partisan support in State Senate | Jordan Wilkie/WITF

Election technology experts testified before the Pennsylvania Senate's State Government Committee, highlighting vulnerabilities in voting machines used across 20 counties, representing 30% of the state's voters, particularly critiquing the ballot-marking devices. The experts recommended phasing out the use of ballot marking devices for all voters and transitioning to hand-marked paper ballots, aligning with best practices for election security. Read Article

Pennsylvania: There’s new leadership in Fulton County. They still chase Trump’s 2020 grievances. | Bruce Siwy and Amber South/Chambersburg Public Opinion

Despite facing repeated court rejections, Fulton County commissioners persist in their challenge to the 2020 election, much to the chagrin of taxpayers who are now liable for legal fees potentially exceeding $1 million. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's ruling of contempt in April penalized the county for permitting multiple third-party inspections of Dominion Voting Systems machines, resulting in hefty legal costs. While newly elected commissioners initially resisted continuing the legal battle, they eventually voted to appeal, prompting concerns about the financial burden on taxpayers. Despite judicial dismissals citing the minimal impact of alleged errors in voting machines, commissioners, backed by pro bono counsel connected to former President Trump's election challenges, remain determined, even as their attorney faces felony charges in Michigan related to improper acquisition of voting equipment. Read Article

Pennsylvania: What to know about electronic pollbooks, which counties use them, and more | Katie Meyer/Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania is gradually introducing electronic pollbooks (e-pollbooks) in more counties ahead of the 2024 presidential election, aiming to streamline the voting process and enhance efficiency for poll workers. While e-pollbooks simplify voter sign-in and reconciliation processes, concerns about cybersecurity persist. Lancaster County piloted e-pollbooks last year, receiving positive feedback from poll workers, but some officials remain cautious, citing cybersecurity apprehensions. The adoption of e-pollbooks varies across counties due to cost considerations, with Philadelphia embracing them for their efficiency benefits, while others lag due to financial constraints. Despite security measures in place, challenges such as technical glitches and the need for comprehensive training persist, underscoring the importance of robust implementation strategies to ensure smooth election operations. Read Article

Pennsylvania court rules electronic voting data is not subject to release under public records law | Mark Scolforo/Associated Press

A Pennsylvania court ruled 5-2 against granting public access to spreadsheets containing raw data associated with every ballot cast in the 2020 General Election in Lycoming County. The case began with a request by election researcher Heather Honey, whose work has been linked to right-wing attacks on voting procedures. The court concluded that the cast vote records, considered the modern equivalent of traditional ballot boxes, are not subject to public scrutiny under the state's Right-to-Know Law. The majority opinion emphasized that optical scanners used in the election qualify as voting machines, thus falling under the law's protection of voting machine contents. Despite arguments that releasing the data wouldn't compromise ballot secrecy, the court upheld the decision, prompting consideration of an appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Read Article

Pennsylvania was deluged by election lawsuits in 2020. Experts say 2024 will be even more intense. | by Angela Couloumbis/Spotlight PA

Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania initiated a federal lawsuit to challenge executive actions expanding voter registration, arguing that such measures encroached upon the legislature's constitutional authority regarding election procedures. This lawsuit signifies the start of what is anticipated to be a year marked by significant legal battles over various aspects of Pennsylvania's electoral processes, particularly with the impending rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Potential litigation topics include the legality of drop boxes and the validity of mail ballots, with one case concerning undated or misdated mail ballots potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Read Article

Pennsylvania’s voting machines: Everything you need to know, how the state keeps them safe, and more | Carter Walker/Spotlight PA

In Pennsylvania, amidst an anticipated contentious presidential election, there's been a history of politicians spreading false information regarding voting machines' security and accuracy, despite stringent testing protocols in place. Despite these challenges, efforts to enhance transparency and reporting on machine issues aim to bolster public trust in the electoral process. Read Article

Pennsylvania governor unveils election security task force to mitigate threats to the 2024 vote | Adam Edelman/NBC

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is set to establish an Election Threats Task Force, led by Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, aimed at securing the 2024 vote from interference and misinformation. Comprising officials from multiple agencies, the task force's primary goal is to coordinate plans and share intelligence to safeguard election integrity. This initiative follows previous challenges in Pennsylvania's electoral process, including threats to election workers and the spread of misinformation during the 2020 race. Despite bipartisan efforts to enhance election security, legislative action to address issues like delayed ballot counting remains stalled in the divided Legislature. Read Article

Pennsylvania seeks legal costs from county that let outsiders access voting machines to help Trump | Mark Scolforo/Associated Press

In a protracted legal battle over voting machine examination in rural Pennsylvania, Secretary of State Al Schmidt is seeking reimbursement of $711,000 from Republican-controlled Fulton County officials, alleging obstruction and delays that incurred substantial legal fees. The state Supreme Court recently cautioned the officials against unilaterally providing voting equipment evidence to outside parties, prompting pushback from the county's lawyer, who argued against court intervention in litigation involving Dominion Voting Systems Inc. Read Article

Pennsylvania election officials are bracing for another round of lawsuits, recount requests, and claims of fraud in 2024 | Gillian McGoldrick/Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania is gearing up for the anticipated turbulence of the upcoming presidential election, poised to play a pivotal role as a battleground state. With heightened scrutiny and potential legal battles looming, Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary of State Al Schmidt are leading efforts to ensure a smooth electoral process. A bipartisan election task force, spearheaded by Schmidt, aims to address any threats to voter access or election integrity. While certain legal issues surrounding mail voting laws remain unresolved, officials are striving to provide clear guidance to voters and counties to mitigate confusion. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Turnover among election officials has cost nearly 300 years of experience | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Pennsylvania is facing a significant shortage of experienced election directors ahead of the presidential election, with 58 officials who served during the November 2019 election having left their positions. This departure represents a loss of 293 years of combined experience among the state's top county election officials. The turnover has prompted concerns about potential mistakes, disenfranchisement of voters, and disputes over election results. Read Article

This Paennsylvania activist is the source of false and flawed election claims gaining traction across the country | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Heather Honey, an "election integrity" investigator from Pennsylvania, gained national attention among the far-right for her research, despite its numerous errors. Her claim that Pennsylvania had 205,000 more votes than voters during the 2020 election has been widely debunked, but it continues to be cited as fact by many. Honey's flawed analysis has contributed to misinformation campaigns, undermining trust in election practices. Her recent focus on the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) led to several states withdrawing from the program, influenced by her misleading conclusions. Read Article

Pennsylvania: How an ‘Ice Cream Truck’ for Voting Could Stop Mail Ballots from Being Tossed | Alex Burness/Bolts

Neil Makhija, a former advocate for South Asian voter turnout and now a county commissioner in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, has taken on the task of securing voting rights from within the system. He aims to revolutionize the ballot curing process, proposing a mobile unit that would reach voters directly to resolve mail ballot errors, inspired by an "ice cream truck for voting" concept. Pennsylvania's lack of statewide guidelines on ballot curing leaves counties with disparate approaches, with some, like Montgomery, making efforts to inform voters but still seeing a significant number of rejected ballots. Makhija's proposal, though ambitious, has garnered support from voting rights advocates, who see it as a game-changer, but its implementation faces challenges in resource allocation and logistics. Read Article

Pennsylvania automatic voter registration boosts sign-ups, but not a political party, data shows | Marc Levy/Associated Press

New data from Pennsylvania's automatic voter registration at driver’s license centers reveals a 45% increase in sign-ups compared to a similar period two years ago. The partisan mix of registrations under the new system shows that 35% opted for Republican, 31% for Democratic, and 34% for independent or a third party. The data challenges accusations by Donald Trump that Democrats would exploit the system. Pennsylvania's new automatic voter registration system is currently facing a lawsuit from Republican lawmakers. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Republican lawmakers challenge state, federal actions to boost voter registration | Marc Levy/Associated Press

A group of 24 conservative state lawmakers in Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit challenging three voting-related executive branch actions, including a 2021 executive order by President Joe Biden that aimed to boost voter registration. The lawsuit challenges the legality of Biden's executive order, as well as two state-level actions – the introduction of automatic voter registration by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and a 2018 state directive under then-Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. Read Article

Pennsylvania elections chief: Fixes coming to avoid errors that plagued Northampton County | Tom Shortell/Lehigh Valley News

Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt has expressed confidence that Northampton County is addressing the issues that led to problems in the 2023 general election. The issues, which involved voters casting emergency ballots due to problems with the ExpressVote XL voting machines, were attributed to human error rather than flaws in the voting system. Schmidt mentioned that the state is stepping up training and assistance for county election officials to prevent similar errors in future elections. The state is also revisiting guidance on logic and accuracy testing, considering the importance of manual testing, and establishing a training office for county election officials.Read Article

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

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

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

Pennsylvania’s loss of county election officials raises concerns about errors | Anthony Hennen/The Center Square

The Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee conducted a post-election evaluation marked by amiable discussions between Republican senators and the secretary of the commonwealth. While there was mutual concern over human errors in the electoral process, some divides persisted. The department has focused on reducing human errors by hiring a chief training officer and redesigning ballot envelopes to minimize voter errors. However, concerns were raised about significant turnover in election administrators at the county level, affecting experience and potentially leading to unintentional mistakes. The audit process also drew differing opinions, with the secretary emphasizing existing audit measures, while Sen. Cris Dush expressed a desire for comprehensive machine verification akin to auditing gas pumps and slot machines. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Exodus of election officials in Luzerne County rings alarm for US democracy | Sam Levine/The Guardian

Luzerne County has experienced a high level of turnover in its election office, facing unintentional human errors, which, in turn, contribute to public distrust in elections. The loss of institutional knowledge, combined with the increasing lack of experience, creates a cycle of errors and distrust, further pushing officials to leave. To address these challenges, Luzerne County is working on improving internal election processes and rebuilding trust in its election system. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Voting machine trouble in Nothhampton County triggers alarm ahead of 2024 | John Sakellariadis/Politico

In Northampton County, where programming errors on ExpressVote XL voting machines raised concerns about the integrity of elections, the county faces a challenge to restore voter confidence ahead of the upcoming presidential election. In 2019 the machines resulted in undercounting votes in a local judges' race, and a recent glitch in the same machines triggered a backlash. Despite officials claiming the errors did not affect outcomes, skeptics question the reliability of the machines and call for their replacement. The incident highlights the broader issue of election security and the delicate balance officials must strike in addressing problems without fueling conspiracy theories. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Mail ballot ruling adds confusion to certification process | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Following a federal court ruling, Pennsylvania counties are making varying decisions on whether to count undated and misdated mail ballots cast during the November election. Judge Susan Baxter of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania ruled that the date a voter writes on the envelope is "immaterial" to the voter’s eligibility. The ruling has led to inconsistencies in how counties handle the ballots, creating challenges during the certification process. Some counties counted the ballots, while others delayed certification or excluded them, leading to potential disenfranchisement. The Department of State has announced redesigned mail ballot materials to prevent such errors. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Voting rights groups call for investigation of Election Day problems in Northampton County | Peter Hall/Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Voting rights groups, including the ACLU of Pennsylvania and Common Cause PA, are demanding an explanation from Northampton County officials regarding a programming error on the ES&S ExpressVote XL voting machines used in the county that affected ballots on Election Day. The error in the Superior Court retention race forced voters to use emergency ballots, leading to confusion and doubts about the accuracy of votes. The groups are calling for a thorough investigation, a transparent report, and measures to rebuild public trust, emphasizing the need for improved testing procedures and contingency plans. Secretary of State Al Schmidt has pledged to follow up with the county and its voting machine vendor to determine why the error went unnoticed. The incident underscores the importance of addressing voting machine vulnerabilities and ensuring proper contingency plans to prevent similar issues in the future. Read Article

Pennsylvania: Voting machines in Northampton County misprinted votes on paper ballots | Carter Walker/Votebeat

A programming error in Northampton County's voting machines led to votes for two Pennsylvania Superior Court candidates being incorrectly printed on voters' paper ballots, although officials assured that the correct selections were recorded on the machines. Pre-election testing should have caught the issue before the November 7 election, but it was incomplete. The problem only affected the judicial race printout, and the tabulation will accurately reflect voters' intentions. The county's spokesperson acknowledged that the issue should have been identified in pre-election testing and emphasized the error was limited to one race. The voting machine manufacturer accepted responsibility for the labeling error causing the problem. Read Article

How a Pennsylvania judge of elections handled a “hectic” polling place | Carter Walker/Votebeat

Jay Schneider, overseeing his polling place in Caln Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, on his first Election Day as a judge of elections, faced initial challenges with staffing and coordination. Despite a rocky start, Schneider, who transitioned from a poll worker role, managed the precinct efficiently, addressing issues, adapting to higher-than-expected voter turnout, and collaborating with support from the county's emergency operations center and additional poll workers. While acknowledging the stress and learning curve, Schneider expressed satisfaction in contributing to the election process and helping voters cast their ballots, emphasizing the importance of refining operations for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Read Article

Pennsylvanians Are About to Decide Who Will Oversee the 2024 Elections | Daniel Nichanian/Bolts

The upcoming Nov. 7 elections in Pennsylvania's counties, particularly Bucks County, hold significant implications for voting accessibility. Since county officials in Pennsylvania have broad authority over election procedures, including mail-in voting protocols, the outcomes will determine policies like ballot curing (allowing voters to correct minor mistakes on mail ballots). The races may influence whether procedures facilitating mail voting, such as drop boxes, will remain in place. Republicans gaining control could potentially roll back these measures, impacting the 2024 elections. Advocates are urging for statewide mandates, like House Bill 847, to ensure uniform voting standards across counties and safeguard voters' access to the ballot. Read Article