Pennsylvania to test new election security measures

Pennsylvania will launch a pilot of an election security audit in Philadelphia and Mercer County after the November elections, the Pennsylvania Department of State announced this week. 

The risk-limiting audit is designed to check the accuracy of election outcomes. 

It will use security measures new to the state and much of the country, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.{mosads}

“This pilot project will allow us to explore audit procedures that will further strengthen Pennsylvania’s election security profile and provide confidence to the voters that their votes are being counted accurately,” acting Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar (D) said in the announcement. 

The state department will work with local officials to conduct the audit using new paper-based voting systems in Mercer County and Philadelphia. 

The Pennsylvania Department of State last year directed all counties to switch to voting machines that produced a paper record to increase election security.

The department gave counties until Dec. 31 to do so, but said it preferred the new systems to be in place for the general election on Nov. 5. The audits will be open to the public and details regarding the dates and locations will be available soon, according to the department.