Auditor General DePasquale Continues Review of Voting Machine Purchasing, Updates Responses from Counties
Auditor General examines if officials took vendor-sponsored gifts, trips
Auditor General DePasquale Continues Review of Voting Machine Purchasing, Updates Responses from Counties
Auditor General examines if officials took vendor-sponsored gifts, trips
HARRISBURG (Feb. 14, 2019) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today provided an update on his request to counties for information involving the purchase of new voting machines.
“Voting is at the core of our democracy, and I will make sure the public knows how their counties are selecting new machines to meet the Department of State’s 2020 deadline,” DePasquale said. “I want to thank counties for providing the information I requested.”
In December, DePasquale announced that he would review purchasing of voting machines by counties after it was reported that Luzerne County’s elections director accepted trips from a vendor that was selected to provide voting equipment. He subsequently asked all counties to answer whether any officials accepted similar trips or gifts from voting equipment vendors.
Greene County provided proof that it attempted to reply by the Feb. 8 deadline and did submit a response. The department is now reviewing that information.
On Feb. 14, Westmoreland County promised it would submit its response this week. Armstrong, Cameron, Chester, Forest, Huntingdon, Mercer, and Philadelphia counties provided responses this week. DePasquale will produce a report this spring summarizing his findings.
In April 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of State told counties they have until the end of 2019 to select new voting systems that feature a paper record, which allows for more accurate post-election audits. The new systems are to be in use no later than the 2020 primary, and preferably by the November 2019 general election. Counties may choose from among any of the voting systems that are certified by both the federal and state governments.
DePasquale is also auditing the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors within the Department of State. He launched that review after the Department of Homeland Security said Pennsylvania was one of 21 states targeted for hacking by Russian government operatives ahead of the 2016 election.
To learn more about the Department of the Auditor General, please visit www.PaAuditor.gov.
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