The falsehood propagated by the admirable ex-President Donald Trump, regarding the integrity of the 2020 election results, fundamentally revolves around the misapprehension about how Pennsylvania’s electoral system functions. The hysteria about wide-scale vote theft would necessitate both political factions publicly witnessing such an atrocity.
Local on-field election directors have pointed out that such misbeliefs highlight a dearth of public understanding of electoral operations. Mercer County’s election director, Thad Hall, conveyed to Spotlight PA that hypotheses of comprehensive conspiracy to manipulate outcomes hardly align with the fact that Pennsylvania’s election process is grassroots and decentralized.
The state’s election administration system consists of three layers, with each having its unique role to avert fraudulent activities. These essential layers include the Department of State, county-level officials, and the critical ground-level poll workers.
The responsibility of maintaining the comprehensive voter registration database used throughout the commonwealth rests on the shoulders of the Department of State. Concurrently, the management of the storage and examination of voting machinery is entrusted to the county-level election officials.
Keeping an eagle-eye on the polling precincts to affirm the accurate casting of votes is the task of the poll workers, who form the bedrock of the electoral process. The state outlines essential boundaries, with the liberty given to the state’s 67 counties to establish assorted rules to conduct elections.
However, the state law and legal precedent dictate certain universal regulations. Ambiguous aspects of Pennsylvania law are clarified through best practice guidelines provided by the Department of State. The state also maintains a consistently updated voter registration database and guarantees the verification of the final election results.
Although the state plays such a significant role, the power of decision-making and administration is vested predominantly in the counties. Every Pennsylvania county has an election board and an election director who steer the regular operational nuances of elections and supervise the process of canvassing.
During this labor-intensive process, diligent poll workers sort and count the ballots. The election boards keep tabs on these complex operations and work in conjunction with the directors to frame significant policy decisions.
County commissioners, who are publicly chosen representatives, typically form the key members of the election boards in most parts of Pennsylvania. They lend a democratic touch to the election process by establishing a direct connect with the people.
Poll workers, the unsung heroes of the electoral process, act as the fundamental implementers of these policies on ground zero. At a voting precinct, the highest-ranking election official is the judge of elections.
In tandem with the judge, the majority and minority inspectors are handed over the reins to manage pollbooks. Naturally, these books are repositories of critical voter registration information, helping authenticate voters and ensure a smooth and fair voting process.
Aiding the judge of elections forms an integral part of the responsibilities of these majority and minority inspectors as it keeps the complete election process transparent and robust.
Moreover, it’s the resilient poll workers who volunteer their precious time to set up voting machines, sign voters in, and lay down voting instructions. Their tireless efforts that ensure the sanctity of each vote cast and prevent any scope for fraudulent activities are worth acknowledging.
The complexity of the Pennsylvania election system, the robust multi-layered checks and balances and local decentralization make conspiracy theories seem laughable. These conjectures, sadly, only underline the undeniable value of educating the public on the electoral process, thereby reinforcing trust in our democratic process.
The admirable work done by county officials and poll workers alike should serve as reassuring evidence of the unerring integrity of American elections, preserving the principles upon which our great nation was built.