For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Katelyn McNally
[email protected]
PENNSYLVANIA – A poll recently commissioned by the Democracy Defense Project Pennsylvania Board found that a majority of Pennsylvanians are concerned about the integrity of November’s election.
Conducted by National Research Inc. from Sept. 22-27, with a sample of 600 likely voters and a margin of error of 4%, the poll found 71% of respondents expressed concern that voting irregularities might call this year’s results into question, regardless of their trust levels in the 2020 election.
“The Democracy Defense Project was created specifically to address concerns about the overall validity of the voting process so that all voters, no matter who they vote for, can trust the integrity of the electoral system,” said board member Ed Rendell, a former Pennsylvania governor.
Former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, also a board member, noted, “This bipartisan group is dedicated to bringing our election process into the open for the public to see – from voter registration to vote tabulation – so that any attempts to subvert the process or mislead voters can be quashed.”
According to poll respondents, the three biggest threats to election integrity are misinformation created by artificial intelligence, media organizations suppressing some stories while distorting others, and foreign adversaries spreading propaganda to influence U.S. elections.
Results showed that voters across the board believe that allowing bipartisan oversight of all election results is the best way to increase confidence in our election system.
The Democracy Defense Project has been working to bring together the experts who make policy and those who administer elections from across the political spectrum to enhance electoral infrastructure. The group gained valuable insights into the state’s election procedures and efforts to combat misinformation in a meeting with Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt and will host an Oct. 14 roundtable discussion with PA Media Group to discuss safeguarding America’s democratic processes.
It also has asked legislative leaders to act swiftly to allow counties to pre-canvass mail ballots.
“We have been seeking to elevate opportunities to further strengthen and build trust in Pennsylvania’s election system,” said board member Jim Gerlach, a former U.S. representative. “Pre-canvassing would significantly expedite the availability of election results and lighten the pressure placed on our county election officials.”
“There is still time for the legislature to act to allow canvassing to begin before this Election Day,” Rendell said. “The county officials who supervise the election and must certify the count are almost unanimously in favor of this change being made this year. The legislature should make this change immediately.“
Pennsylvania is one of only seven states that does not allow mail-in ballots to be opened and counted in the days before Election Day.
Former Pennsylvania House Speaker and board member Keith McCall added, “Mail-in voting has significantly expanded access to the polls for many voters but counties need more time to undertake the time-consuming process of tallying this increased volume of ballots. Pennsylvania is a critical state in this election and allowing pre-canvassing would be a big boost in keeping the public’s confidence in the integrity of our electoral process.”
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More information on the Democracy Defense Project can be found at
https://www.democracydefenseproject.org/pa.
Published: Oct 10, 2024
