In April, the Pennsylvania Department of State informed counties that they must have voting machines that provide a paper record of each vote as a matter of election integrity. Paper ballots provide for more accurate and reliable post-election audits compared to direct recording electronic voting machines, like those used in Cumberland County, according to the Department of State. Gov. Tom Wolf earmarked $13.5 million in federal funds to help counties buy compliant machines, and the state is required to provide a 5 percent match to those funds, leaving more than $14 million available to counties. The Wolf administration said it wants new machines to be in place by the May 2020 primary.
The change to paper records does not necessarily mean voters will not use electronic touch screens to select their candidates.
As Sentinel reporter Zachary Hoopes explained in December, if a county chooses one of the machines certified by the state that utilizes a touch screen, voters will select candidates on the computer and be given a paper printout of their selection, which will then be submitted into another machine for counting.
Full Article: Where it Stands: Counties given new option for voting machine | The Sentinel: News | cumberlink.com.