{"id":2291704,"date":"2024-07-10T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pa-has-never-worked-so-hard-to-keep-from-fixing-its-elections\/"},"modified":"2024-07-10T07:38:04","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T11:38:04","slug":"pa-has-never-worked-so-hard-to-keep-from-fixing-its-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pa-has-never-worked-so-hard-to-keep-from-fixing-its-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"PA Has Never Worked So Hard To Keep From Fixing Its Elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpa-has-never-worked-so-hard-to-keep-from-fixing-its-elections%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2291704&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>This article discusses the efforts of Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt to insist that the state&#8217;s elections are safe and \u2063secure, despite\u200b ongoing issues and lack of public confidence. The article compares\u2064 Schmidt&#8217;s avoidance of meaningful conversations about \u200celection pitfalls to the character George Costanza from &#8220;Seinfeld&#8221; who expends energy avoiding work. The article highlights discrepancies\u200c in the Pennsylvania electoral process, such as\u200d differing ballot curing and drop box policies across counties, as \u2064well as issues with observer access during the counting stage. Ultimately, \u200dthe article criticizes Secretary \u200bSchmidt for failing to \u200backnowledge the\u200b need for improvement in the\u200d state&#8217;s electoral system.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>In one of many memorable \u201cSeinfeld\u201d episodes, George Costanza desperately maneuvers to continue receiving an unemployment check rather than focusing his energy on gainful employment. He <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/G1CLPcNj-_c?si=bTvYtGmQltMO2NQ_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">makes up<\/a> a fake business, claims he constantly \u201clooks and listens\u201d for jobs, and even offers to <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/maYUQyC3jo4?si=liA5HNH_eh4qaAIL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">date<\/a> the rather unpleasant daughter of the unemployment official, hoping he can continue riding the joblessness benefits train.  <\/p>\n<p>In his corresponding stand-up act, Jerry comments on George\u2019s misplaced energy. \u201cThis guy has never worked this hard in his life to keep this thing going,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they had any idea the effort and energy that he is expending to avoid work, I\u2019m sure they\u2019d give him a raise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>George\u2019s shenanigans provide a humorous storyline. But real-life situations of someone using all of their energy to distract you from reality rarely take on such a funny tone. <\/p>\n<p>Take Pennsylvania election officials, for example. <\/p>\n<p>On May 28, after the Pennsylvania primary, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt commented that \u201c[e]lections have never been more safe and secure with a voter-verifiable paper-ballot record of every vote that\u2019s cast that is used in not one but two audits after every election to ensure the tabulated results are accurate,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Commish_Schmidt\/status\/1795595121767125317\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> on X, quoting himself as he was cited in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.post-gazette.com\/news\/election-2024\/2024\/05\/26\/pennsylvania-elections-voter-fraud-trump-biden\/stories\/202405240113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">article<\/a> from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.<\/p>\n<p>But a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnorc.org\/projects\/partisan-views-of-the-electoral-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey<\/a> by AP-NORC at the University of Chicago just last summer found that only 44 percent of the American public \u201chas a great deal or quite a bit of confidence that the votes in the 2024 presidential election will be counted accurately.\u201d Considering such a widespread lack of confidence in the upcoming election, Secretary Schmidt\u2019s use of superlatives seems audacious, at the very least. <\/p>\n<p>This lack of confidence certainly exists in the Keystone State. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court dedicates an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/news-and-statistics\/cases-of-public-interest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pediatric-gender-clinics-scrub-their-websites-amidst-criticism-of-gender-related-treatments\/\" title=\"Pediatric Gender Clinics Scrub Their Websites Amidst Criticism Of Gender-Related Treatments\">entire web page<\/a><\/a> to tracking state election-related litigation that reaches the appellate level. And this doesn\u2019t even include cases only litigated in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stefanik-demands-investigation-into-random-selection-of-trump-judge-merchan\/\" title=\"Stefanik calls for probe into &#039;random&#039; picking of Trump Judge Merchan\">state trial courts<\/a> or filed in federal court, most of which are listed on the left-leaning website, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/cases\/state\/pennsylvania\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Democracy Docket<\/a>.<strong>  <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For a state with elections that \u201chave never been more safe and secure,\u201d that\u2019s an awful lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wis-speaker-vos-says-state-may-re-do-2020-election-if-fraud-is-proven-in-court\/\" title=\"Wis. Speaker Vos says state may re-do 2020 election if fraud is proven in court\">ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-upholds-arizona-voting-rules-in-heated-voting-rights-decision\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Voting Rules in Heated Voting Rights Decision\">election litigation<\/a><\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>But just like George Costanza\u2019s avoidance of productive employment at all costs, the Pennsylvania secretary of state has for too long dodged meaningful conversations about the state\u2019s election pitfalls, stubbornly insisting that the process is top-notch. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cElections have changed a lot in the last several years and they\u2019ve changed for the better,\u201d Secretary Schmidt <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Commish_Schmidt\/status\/1777521959594533180\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a> on April 8, 2024, once again quoting <a href=\"https:\/\/on-demand.wvia.org\/video\/primary-primer-bwo1le\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">himself<\/a> from a previous statement. \u201cThey\u2019ve never been more safe &#038; secure and [paper ballots] are used in \u2013 not one, but two \u2013 audits after every election to ensure that the numbers add up and that the results are accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maybe spot audits do show that the tiny number of ballots tested are tabulated correctly. But the problems with the Pennsylvania electoral process proliferate way before the ballots even get to the counting stage. For example, some counties in Pennsylvania <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlightpa.org\/news\/2023\/02\/pa-2022-election-drop-box-mail-ballot-curing-scorecard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">allow curing of ballots<\/a> \u2014 the opportunity for voters to fix mistakes \u2014 while some counties do not. According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website, \u201csome\u201d counties \u201cmay\u201d provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pa.gov\/en\/agencies\/vote\/voter-support\/mail-in-and-absentee-ballot\/return-ballot.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drop boxes<\/a> for voters to return ballots. But in the counties that provide them, these <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/15\/lawsuit-anti-trump-official-illegally-designated-ballot-drop-off-sites-in-pennsylvania-county\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drop boxes<\/a> are not necessarily monitored in the same ways, if at all. The list of discrepancies goes on. All this to say, before the ballots even get to the counting stage, they \u2014 and by extension, the voters \u2014 have received wildly disparate and haphazard treatment across the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n<p>During the counting stage, the issues only continue. For example, different counties in Pennsylvania allow differing levels of views to observers. Since 2020, Philadelphia has erected parade gates separating the observers from the counting action. As an observer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/Storage\/media\/pdfs\/20210604\/113331-file-10377.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">testified in 2020<\/a>, the parade gates kept him \u201c15 to 18 feet\u201d away from the first row of tables of vote tabulators. There were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacourts.us\/Storage\/media\/pdfs\/20210604\/113328-file-10376.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">three rows<\/a> of tables \u201cspaced apart,\u201d so some of the action could have been up to 105 feet away, as the observer clarified. What\u2019s more, Philadelphia trains one camera from one angle in the tabulating room. But nothing meaningful can be discerned about the counting process from a far-away lens that cuts off part of the room. A stream from May 2021 is still available on the Philadelphia City Commissioners <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VcdOpn8VzaI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube page<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p>But, like George Costanza doing a \u201ctremendous job not working,\u201d Secretary Schmidt has long done a tremendous job insisting that Pennsylvania elections are safe and secure, even when the facts lead any logical person to conclude that there remains massive room for improvement.<\/p>\n<p>Following the 2020 presidential election, when Secretary Schmidt was a Philadelphia commissioner, he didn\u2019t hesitate to vouch for the integrity of the Philadelphia electoral process, despite all the factors that might suggest otherwise. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe just certified the results of the 2020 Presidential Election,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Commish_Schmidt\/status\/1331025453906358273\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> in a Nov. 23, 2020 post. \u201cDespite all the meritless litigation and misinformation targeting our electoral system, I\u2019m proud that the birthplace of our Republic held the most transparent and secure election in the history of Philadelphia.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>If the secretary of state\u2019s job was simply to expend effort and energy convincing Pennsylvanians of the safety and security of elections, then he deserves a raise.\u00a0However, the job involves more than a public relations spin \u2014 elections must actually be administered appropriately. The election litigation, chaos, and disparate treatment across Pennsylvania suggest noticeable problems with the system that must be addressed. <\/p>\n<p>No doubt, Pennsylvania government officials will continue to bombard voters with now well-worn proclamations of safety and security, all while ignoring plentiful opportunities to upgrade election administration. But lucky for Pennsylvania voters, and the rest of the country watching what happens in this key swing state, many in the GOP <a href=\"https:\/\/protectthevote.com\/about\/\">stand up<\/a> for election integrity.<\/p>\n<p>GOP Chair Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump launched a comprehensive promotion of election integrity called <a href=\"https:\/\/protectthevote.com\/\">Protect the Vote<\/a>. Through this program, the GOP recruits and trains volunteer voters and lawyers to poll watch, work at the polls, and challenge election administrative problems. These efforts span many states, including <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/06\/21\/we-have-army-pennsylvania-grassroots-eager-for-direction-as-rnc-trains-poll-watchers\/\">Pennsylvania<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Maybe Schmidt will take notice of his fellow Republicans\u2019 efforts to fight against the very real election threats he has only repeatedly denied. Maybe the Pennsylvania secretary of state will finally realize that election administration requires more than empty talking points.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Linda A. Kerns is a Philadelphia-based election law attorney.  You can reach her at @lindakernslaw and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lindakernslaw.com\"> lindakernslaw.com <\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a famous episode of &#8220;Seinfeld,&#8221; George Costanza goes to great lengths to avoid getting a job and continue receiving unemployment benefits. Similarly, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt has been avoiding addressing the issues with the state&#8217;s election process, despite ongoing litigation and discrepancies. While Schmidt insists that elections in Pennsylvania are safe and secure, there are clear problems that need to be addressed. The GOP has launched efforts to protect election integrity, but it remains to be seen if Schmidt will acknowledge the need for improvement in election administration<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2997,"featured_media":2291705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Image-7-9-24-at-11.15%E2%80%AFAM-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[32644,34483,22850,5836,32570],"class_list":["post-2291704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-election-integrity","tag-electoral-reform","tag-gerrymandering","tag-pennsylvania","tag-voting-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Image-7-9-24-at-11.15%E2%80%AFAM-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2997"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2291704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2291704\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2291705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2291704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2291704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2291704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}