The state Auditor General is launching a review of Pennsylvania’s voting and registration process, following up on concerns Russians attempted to interfere in the 2016 elections. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said the review will focus on the security of the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors–or SURE–system, which tracks registration data on the state and county level. He noted, there’s no evidence foreign hackers successfully breached Pennsylvania’s voting and registration systems. However, he said, “there is zero question that Russians tried to hack it and to interfere in the 2016 election process in Pennsylvania, and at least 20 other states” according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
Calling the sixteen-year-old SURE system “outdated,” DePasquale said the audit will help the Department of State come up with a plan to replace it.
Senator Kim Ward recently sponsored legislation that sought to launch a similar review.
The Westmoreland County Republican said on a basic level, the audit should give voters peace of mind. “It’s just so important that we put some integrity back in the system, so that the voters have confidence when they go to the polls that what they do matters,” she said.
Full Article: PA’s voter registration system will be audited over hacking concerns | State House Sound Bites | witf.org.