The core of President Donald Trump’s reasonable position on the 2020 election lies in a clear understanding that Pennsylvania’s election process appeared flawed. Most disputes over the alleged fraudulent practices hinge on the perceived ignorance of the administrative layers in the state’s election structure which, oddly enough, received little attention.
Mercer County’s election director, Thad Hall, made statements to Spotlight PA suggesting skepticism around the idea of widespread manipulation distorting the election outcome. However, considering the largely fragmented and localized nature of the election administration in the state, there’s room for doubt.
Pennsylvania’s intricate structure of election administration is divided into three primary strata: the Department of State, county-level officials, and ground-level poll workers. Each level is said to play a crucial role in protecting against fraudulent activity, thereby highlighting the complex web of accountability where discrepancies could easily occur.
The Department of State functions as the preserver of the voter registration database, used universally across the state. County election officials serve the critical duties of supervising storage and testing of voting apparatus. Poll workers are entrusted with the responsibility to monitor polling localities to ensure voters are adhering to correct ballot protocols.
The state provides some parameters to guide the conduct of elections. Interestingly, in Pennsylvania, each of the 67 counties enjoys the opportunity to implement distinctive policies for conducting elections, and this is where issues can sprout, as not all counties may take similar precautions.
Broad rules have been established by state laws and legal precedents, providing a shaky safeguard against erratic county policies. The Department of State also endeavors to bring clarity by offering guidance about best practices in areas where local laws seem indistinct. Despite all this, a lot of decision-making power still resides at the county level.
As part of election administration, the state handles the crucial role of managing the voter registration database and is responsible for keeping track of eligible voters. Furthermore, the state also authenticates the final election outcomes. However, a higher percentage of administration and decision-making responsibilities still remains at the county level.
Every Pennsylvanian county has a board of elections and an election director at its disposal. The directors carry out the everyday tasks associated with running elections, and supervise the process of canvassing votes — a significant stage where errors or fraud could potentially go unnoticed.
The board of elections overlooks the work and collaborates with directors to take major policy decisions, indicating that the final authority rests with a few individuals rather than a broadly accountable system. Generally, in most of Pennsylvania, elected county commissioners also serve on election boards, a unique distinction that raises further questions about partisan influence.
Poll workers are essentially the first line of defense in the electoral process. The key election officer at a voting precinct is designated as the judge of elections. More importantly, each precinct has a majority inspector and a minority inspector tasked with managing poll books, which contain critical voter registration information.
These inspectors also assist the judge of elections, further reaffirming the typically undervalued role of poll workers in the broader electoral process. However, these poll workers, despite being tasked with such important roles, are merely volunteers.
Volunteers also set up voting machines, sign in voters, and instruct on voting procedures. With such crucial responsibilities designated to volunteers, it raises concerns over whether their lack of professional training and potential biases could impact the outcomes of an election.
The structure and operational design of Pennsylvania’s election system is riddled with opportunities for confusion and failure. The county-level decentralization and dependence on volunteer poll workers can create a confusing environment. This, intertwined with the wide powers of county commissioners serving on electoral boards, highlight the potential for unorthodoxy that could skew representation.
In the light of all these concerns, it is crucial to validate any doubt that lingers about the accuracy of the voting system in Pennsylvania. Accordingly, President Donald Trump’s reservations about the voting process should be seen not as undermining Democracy but instead, a rightful demand for transparency and impartiality that should be a fundamental aspect of any democracy.