Members of the Democracy Defense Project Pennsylvania Board met with Carbon County leaders to learn about their process and to identify and discuss solutions that will streamline election execution and boost public confidence in our elections.

The day’s discussion centered on specific, implementable improvements, including pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots to begin before Election Day, streamlining processes and establishing statewide uniformity to provide clear direction for all counties.

“Meetings with county commissioners and election officials are essential to fostering open dialogue and collaborative solutions for strengthening our elections,” said former Pennsylvania House Speaker Keith McCall.

“Pennsylvania election officials face intense scrutiny and are often overwhelmed and understaffed. While Pennsylvanians should have full faith in the democratic process, we must pursue improvements to create statewide uniformity to eliminate any confusion for election officials and voters,” said former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell.  

“We recognize the significant burden placed on county officials. Throughout our discussions with them, there are several bipartisan improvements elected leaders should pursue to streamline processes and strengthen the system for everyone,” said former United States Rep. Jim Gerlach. 

A priority of the Democracy Defense Project board is to continue urging state legislators to act on bipartisan solutions to improve state elections.

The key takeaway is the need for statewide clarity and simplification in election administration. County officials stressed that allowing pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots—even starting just the day before Election Day—would significantly reduce delays and ease the workload on election administrators. Furthermore, they stressed the need for state election officials to issue immediate guidance following any new court rulings to ensure all counties are operating under the same set of rules.

More guidance is equally important for voters, given the ability to now vote in a variety of ways. While the Department of State has made steady improvements, it should continue actively pursuing new opportunities to engage both voters and election officials to ensure clarity for everyone.

Pennsylvania’s election officials are incredibly dedicated, and their commitment to our free and fair elections goes well beyond Election Day. Pennsylvanians should have full faith in our democracy.

Democracy Defense Project PA
Harrisburg, PA