SMETHPORT, Pa. — In the race for the White House this election year, Pennsylvania may be a key state to watch. Election officials there are trying to avoid problems in the polling places including in some nearby counties.
In the neighboring commonwealth of Penna, 2024 is once again shaping up with a major contested race for the state's 19 electoral votes in the Presidential election. Some of the latest polls showing only a two percent margin for former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden.
Trump was able to win the state in 2016 over Hillary Clinton on his way to the White House. But his re-election bid was derailed in 2020 as Keystone State voters went for Scranton native son Biden.
Now with both men campaigning heavily in the state again, .the state's voting process will be closely watched with election integrity and security issues discussed on the NBC Meet The Press program on Sunday. Pennsylvania's election chief brought up county voting systems which would include McKean and Potter counties.
Program Host And Moderator Kristin Welker of NBC News asked : "How do you convince voters to have faith in this year's results?"
Pa. Secretary of State Al Schmidt, who is a Republican, responded this way "Well elections have changed a lot in Pennsylvania in the last several years. But they've changed for the better. Elections have never been more safe and secure with a voter verifiable paper ballot record of every vote that's cast. That is used in not one but two audits after every election to ensure the tabulated results are accurate.".
Schmidt added "We have 67 counties in Pennsylvania and the administration of elections is really devolved to the county level. That's where the voting takes place. That's where the initial certifications take place and all the rest .So we've worked with them closely to improve mail-in ballot processing."
The topic of safety for election workers was also raised with efforts of state government under Governor Josh Shapiro in Harrisburg. Schmidt explained "The Shapiro Administration created an election threat task force with different agencies responsible for election administration. Different agencies with the law enforcement responsibility as well working together. So should any of that ugliness that we all experienced in 2020 return everyone knows who's role is what."
Related Video:
