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Common Misconceptions About Election Security
Responses are from the Official Pennsylvania Department of State Website

 

Misconception:  "We need to use paper ballots for our elections"

Fact:  As of June 2, 2020, all 67 of the Pennsylvania's counties have deployed voting systems that produce voter-verifiable paper records and meet 21st-century standards of security, auditability and accessibility.

Misconception:  "The voting machines are being hacked over the internet and votes are being changed"

Fact:  All certified voting systems in Pennsylvania, including the election management system and vote-tallying components, are never connected to or permitted on internet-facing networks.  

There is no evidence that Pennsylvania’s voter rolls or vote results have ever been hacked or compromised.

Misconception:  "The election results are not audited."

Fact:  "To ensure votes are counted correctly, Pennsylvania counties currently conduct two types of post-election analyses: a statistical sample required by law and a statewide risk-limiting audit. 

Misconception:  "More people voted in the last election than were eligible to vote"

Fact:  A layered set of protections is in place to secure voter registration databases.

 

To see that more voting age people are eligible to vote than actually voted in the last election in PA, check out the current PA Voter Turnout and Voting Age Population numbers from the PA Department of State at Voting and Election Statistics 

Misconception:  "How can we be certain that votes aren't being changed?"

Fact:  Local election officials employ physical protections, cybersecurity techniques and pre & post election examinations.  Once the polls close on election day, official precinct election results are hand-delivered to county election officials.  
Watch this video from the PA Department of State on Election Security at the Local Level 

Want to Know More About Election Security in Pennsylvania?

Learn more at the Official Vote.PA.Gov site.

2023 Election Integrity McCloskey


"Election Integrity and All Other Things Election"

(Click on the title link above to view the presentation on YouTube.)

Along with the video, click on the title below to view the
Election Integrity and All Other Things Election PowerPoint 

Presented By Greg McCloskey, Director of Westmoreland County Operations and the Election Bureau


2023 Election Integrity McCloskey