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Top News Elections

The ballot postmark could become 2020′s hanging chad. — CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia Inquirer

Will Pa. be at the center of another Bush v. Gore? These 8 lawyers and scholars weigh in.

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

If the election comes down to Pennsylvania, the days following Nov. 3 will likely be similar to Florida in 2000.

A ballot is deposited into a box at the county clerk's office in Erie. A newly approved resolution is meant to bar groups of people openly carrying firearms from gathering near polling places and drop boxes. — Bonnie Jo Mount / Washington Post

Erie County restricts activities of openly armed residents near the polls if they aren’t voting

by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

In this file photo, a student walks into a classroom at Jay Cooke Elementary in North Philadelphia. Philadelphia is among the school districts most shortchanged by the way Pennsylvania funds public education, according to a new analysis in a lawsuit challenging the system. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. schools need an additional $4.6 billion to close education gaps, new analysis finds

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Maddie Hanna of The Philadelphia Inquirer

For the next week, we’ll answer your most pressing election and voting questions. — TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

Election 2020 in Pennsylvania: All of your voting questions, answered

by Spotlight PA Staff

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Most Popular Stories

Editor’s Pick

Lisa Jones, a mother of eight, lives at Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park in York County. Many residents of the community live less than 100 feet from the Mariner East pipeline system. — STEVEN M. FALK / Philadelphia Inquirer

Along Mariner East pipelines, secrecy and a patchwork of emergency plans leave many at risk and in the dark

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA

More top stories

A USPS spokesperson, meanwhile, said the agency is “unaware of any significant delays or issues.” — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Potentially thousands of requested mail ballots lost in Pa. county, official says

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

The case is one of several voting-related battles that have landed before the nation’s highest court. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

U.S. Supreme Court refuses to expedite Pa. mail ballot case, but could still intervene

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

The report was prepared for a Commonwealth Court judge as part of an ongoing suit that contends Pennsylvania is failing to provide a “thorough and efficient” system of education. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

See how much funding your Pa. school district is owed, according to a new report

by Spotlight PA Staff

This year alone, records show Gov. Tom Wolf’s campaign committee spent $300,000 of its war chest on Democrat George Scott, who is trying to wrest control of a Senate seat from Republican John DiSanto. — Joe Hermitt / PennLive

Millions pour into Pa. House, Senate races as Democrats vie for control

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

Ten states allow a family member to return a ballot for a voter, and 26 states allow a voter to designate someone to return their ballot. — TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

What is ‘ballot harvesting,’ and who can and can’t deliver your mail ballot in Pa.

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

Jonathan Kassa, the Democratic nominee for a state House seat in Montgomery County, talks to a voter in North Wales, Pa., on Oct. 7. The district held by incumbent Republican Rep. Todd Stephens is one Democrats hope will help them flip control of the chamber. — MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia Inquirer

Democrats have control of the Pa. state House within their reach

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Andrew Seidman of The Philadelphia Inquirer

An aerial rendering of an early childhood learning center, which will be financed by the Milton Hershey School. A court on Friday approved the construction and operation of six centers around Pennsylvania. — Milton Hershey School

Court green lights Hershey’s $350 million plan for six free childhood centers around Pennsylvania

by Bob Fernandez of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

This year, election officials expect up to 3 million people to vote by mail. Already, more than 1 million Democrats have returned a mail-in or absentee ballot, as have nearly 300,000 Republicans. — Margo Reed / Philadelphia Inquirer

Counties cannot reject mail ballots because of mismatched signatures, Pa. Supreme Court rules

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

The case centered on Delaware County resident Eric Friedman’s request to the Public Utility Commission for information about the hazards posed by Sunoco’s Mariner East pipeline, a controversial natural gas liquids project spanning the southern half of the state. — MICHAEL BRYANT / Philadelphia Inquirer

Secrecy law for Pa. utilities gets boost in court ruling sidelining public records agency

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA

The latest challenge came as the state’s top elections official, Kathy Boockvar, urged voters not to count on the extension, and instead mail in their ballots right away to get their votes counted. — Margo Reed / Philadelphia Inquirer

How Amy Coney Barrett could be key to new lawsuit to block Pa.’s mail-in ballot extension

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

A worker organizes mail ballots in Chester County. Pennsylvania counties have been flooded with mail ballot requests, and the days-long process of counting them can’t begin until Election Day under current state law. — Margo Reed / Philadelphia Inquirer

Talks collapse on a deal to let Pa. counties open mail ballots before Election Day

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Jonathan Lai of The Philadelphia Inquirer

As a result of the Senate’s inaction, the relief program will probably expire Nov. 4 having distributed just a fraction of the money allotted to it. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Senate GOP halts fixes for Pa.’s troubled rent relief program, surprising even their own

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

Citing an August report by Spotlight PA that documented the mental and academic impact of ongoing racism at schools in the system, known as PASSHE, state Sen. Art Haywood criticized administrators and state leadership for failing to take meaningful action. — Commonwealth Media Services

Solutions for racism, inequity should be central to redesign of Pa. state universities, senator says

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

ExpressVote XL devices will be used in Cumberland County, Northampton County, and Philadelphia this year. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

A year ago, voting machines malfunctioned in a pivotal Pa. county. Have the problems been fixed?

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

More than 690,000 Republicans have requested a mail-in or absentee ballot for the November election. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

U.S. Supreme Court allows 3-day extension to count Pennsylvania mail-in ballots

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar called pre-canvassing "an obvious solution" to guarantee timely election results. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Top Pa. election official says ‘overwhelming majority’ of votes will be counted by Friday after Election Day

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar joined Spotlight PA for a live interview on the 2020 election in Pennsylvania. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

VIDEO: A live Spotlight PA interview with Secretary Kathy Boockvar on the 2020 election in Pa.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

ELECTIONS

Report voting problems in Pennsylvania to Spotlight PA's team of dedicated election reporters, in partnership with ProPublica and Votebeat. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

Report voting problems in Pennsylvania to Spotlight PA’s 2020 election tipline

by Spotlight PA Staff

As of mid-week, 2.6 million people had requested and been approved for a mail-in or absentee ballot, and 518,000 had been returned. — YONG KIM / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. could become ‘ground zero’ for court battles on — and after — Election Day

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Lisa Jones, a mother of eight, lives at Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park in York County. Many residents of the community live less than 100 feet from the Mariner East pipeline system. — STEVEN M. FALK / Philadelphia Inquirer

Along Mariner East pipelines, secrecy and a patchwork of emergency plans leave many at risk and in the dark

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA

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