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Elections

March 23, 2021

Amending the Pennsylvania Constitution is a lengthy process that ends at the ballot box, where voters are asked to make consequential decisions based on a few lines of text. — Jessica Griffin

Ballot questions should be clear, but two written by the Wolf administration don’t pass the test

by Sarah Anne Hughes

March 10, 2021

State officials have touted the results of the pilot audit as evidence the November election was administered without error. And while it does suggest a high degree of confidence in the outcome, it cannot answer some of the finer questions about how the election was run. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. audit confirms Biden got more votes than Trump, but can’t tell us much else

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Feb. 24, 2021

Local officials in Pennsylvania are facing another election without extra time to process mail ballots, likely leading to delayed results and putting increased pressure on counties reeling from the most expensive contest ever. — Robert Frank / For Spotlight PA

Counties will again be unable to process mail ballots early during Pa.’s primary election

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Feb. 23, 2021

The proposal was inspired by former Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, who had a "painfully distant" relationship with Gov. Tom Wolf. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Voters may never again get to choose Pa.’s lieutenant governor candidates

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Feb. 19, 2021

Timothy DeFoor (right) became the first Republican in more than two decades to win the row office, a major victory for the party. — Commonwealth Media Services

Pa.’s new auditor general says his election was fair, but he won’t talk about the others

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Feb. 4, 2021

Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar announced she would step down after it was revealed the Department of State failed to advertise a constitutional amendment to create a two-year window so adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse can sue the perpetrators and institutions that covered it up. — Commonwealth Media Services

What the exit of Pa.’s top election official means for the future of voting

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Feb. 3, 2021

Gov. Tom Wolf used his veto power to nix a record 19 bills passed by the legislature in 2020 — 15 more than he did in 2019. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. enacted 140 laws last year. Only 27 of them addressed the coronavirus.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Jan. 21, 2021

Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar on Thursday defended her actions during the 2020 election, which have been upheld in the courts, and called on Republicans to end their 'lies.' — Commonwealth Media Services

Top Pa. election official calls for end to ‘lies’ as GOP launches 2020 hearings

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Jan. 14, 2021

Law enforcement has erected orange fencing and deployed armed officers outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol. — Mark Pynes / PennLive

Law enforcement in Pa. preparing for possible unrest despite ‘no specific threats’ to the Capitol

by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Jan. 12, 2021

Sen. Jim Brewster (D., Allegheny) — James Robinson / Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus

Federal judge rules in favor of Democratic Pa. Senate candidate GOP refused to seat

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

Jan. 8, 2021

State Sen. Doug Mastriano is facing calls to resign from state Democrats over his attendance at a rally in Washington that led to the mob attack on the Capitol. — Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA

A Pa. Republican lawmaker who marched to the Capitol before the mob attack is facing calls to resign

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Jan. 6, 2021

People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) — Andrew Harnik / AP

Top Pa. lawmakers who rejected election results denounce U.S. Capitol mob

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Jan. 6, 2021

The letter signed by President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (seen here, center) said Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar “usurped legislative authority." — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Republican leaders in Pa. Senate ask Congress to delay Electoral College count

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Jan. 5, 2021

In 2021, election officials want their voices to be heard. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Election officials want a say in Pa.’s voting reforms, but politics may get in the way

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Jan. 4, 2021

Sen. Jim Brewster — James Robinson / Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus

GOP leaders in Pa. Senate will refuse to seat Democrat certified by state as winner

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Dec. 29, 2020

Some sites in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia (where voters are shown here, at Tilden Middle School) saw long lines of voters who wanted to request a mail ballot without having to risk U.S. Postal Service problems. — JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia Inquirer

Satellite offices gave Pa. voters more options to cast early ballots in person. Were they worth it?

by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

Dec. 23, 2020

President Donald Trump is still seeking to overturn Pennsylvania’s election results in the courts. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

As he seeks to overturn Pa.’s election, Trump invites GOP senators to White House lunch

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Dec. 23, 2020

The review means more work for election officials, many of whom are burnt out and have a reduced staff during the holidays while they begin preparing for the municipal primaries in 2021. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Thousands of ballots will be audited as part of Pa.’s post-election review

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

Dec. 21, 2020

“Mail-in voting has become like a second election that we have to run, that we never had to run before,” Lycoming County Elections Director Forrest Lehman said. “It has almost doubled the workload, and you know, nobody’s salaries have doubled at the same time.” — KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY / Sun-Gazette

Pa. election officials are burnt out and leaving their jobs after 2020 ‘nightmare’

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

Dec. 15, 2020

More than 3.1 million people in Pennsylvania applied to vote by mail in November, and the state’s 67 counties processed every request, according to the Department of State. That means a mail ballot should have been sent or delivered to all voters who applied. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Mailed ballots, tight deadlines caused a crunch for Pa. elections officials. Now, comes the reckoning.

by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

Dec. 14, 2020

Trump supporters protest outside the Capitol building on Monday, Dec. 14. Twenty electors from across Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg today to cast their votes for Joe Biden. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

With unusual attention, Pa. presidential electors officially cast votes for Joe Biden

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

Dec. 10, 2020

The state’s 67 counties will work into next year to tally up election expenses for 2020, the first year Pennsylvania implemented no-excuse mail voting. — Robert Frank / For Spotlight PA

The 2020 election cost Pa. counties millions in OT, was most expensive ever, officials say

by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA

Dec. 8, 2020

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling gave rise to so-called “dark money groups,” which set up as nonprofits and operate with little transparency, not even having to disclose the names of their donors. — Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PA

Firm ran Pa. senator’s campaign and worked with super PAC to attack opponent, but denies coordination

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Dec. 4, 2020

House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R., Lancaster) signed onto the letter. — Dan Gleiter / The Patriot-News

GOP leaders ask Congress to reject Pa.’s electors for Joe Biden

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Dec. 3, 2020

Mail-in ballots are sorted and counted by workers on Election Day in Northampton County. Pennsylvania lawmakers instituted no-excuse mail voting for the first time in 2019. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Pandemic, partisan attacks exposed gaps in Pa.’s new mail-in voting law

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

Dec. 2, 2020

In the interview Wednesday, interim Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R., Centre) said organizers of the hearing did not adhere to social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Mistakes were made’ at maskless election hearing held by COVID-positive lawmaker, Pa. Senate leader says

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Dec. 1, 2020

A hearing organized by Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin), one of the chamber’s most conservative members, appears to have violated policies the chamber adopted in the wake of the pandemic. — Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA

GOP leadership silent after Pa. senator tests positive for COVID-19 following maskless election event

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Nov. 30, 2020

Erie County is one of 14 Pennsylvania counties that use machines from Dominion Voting Systems. — JACK HANRAHAN / ERIE TIMES-NEWS

Pa. counties reported no major issues with Dominion voting machines, a target of Trump and his campaign

by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA

Nov. 27, 2020

State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin), one of the Senate’s most conservative members, was among the lawmakers who went to the White House, legislative sources said. Mastriano played a key role in organizing the Senate Majority Policy Committee hearing in Gettysburg. He did not return a phone call seeking comment. — Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA

President Trump invited Pa. lawmakers to the White House. Then everyone went silent.

by William Bender of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Nov. 25, 2020

Trump lawyer Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani pressed his baseless case that the election had been stolen and the truth covered up by “Big Tech” and the mediapressed his baseless case that the election had been stolen and the truth covered up by “Big Tech” and the media. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Trump campaign takes its complaints over Pa. election before GOP lawmakers, after string of court losses

by Jeremy Roebuck and Sean Collins Walsh of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

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