Pennsylvania Voter Rolls Press Conference
Jun 3, 2024, 12:00PM
Harrisburg, PA
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) recently held a significant event at the Pennsylvania Capitol Building, focusing on the critical issue of election integrity. The event featured notable speakers, including Senator Dush, Representative Keefer, and Mike Berry, Executive Director of Litigation for AFPI. Hogan Gidley, Vice Chair of the Center for Election Integrity at AFPI, led the discussions.
The event addressed bipartisan concerns over election integrity that have persisted for decades. Gidley highlighted the widespread distrust in election outcomes, citing a Federalist exposé in Delaware County that revealed serious issues with chain of custody for V-drives and other irregularities. Convictions for election-related crimes in Pennsylvania underscore the pressing need for reform.
A critical issue discussed was the accuracy of voter rolls in Pennsylvania. With eight counties showing registration rates above 90%, it is essential to ensure that only eligible voters are registered. The state's automatic voter registration policy raises concerns about non-citizens voting, with ongoing litigation in the Third Circuit highlighting potential vulnerabilities. Former Democrat Congressman Ozzie Myers' conviction for ballot stuffing serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance. Prosecutor Jacqueline Romero emphasized that even one illegal vote can diminish public trust in the democratic process.
Senator Dush shared firsthand experiences from Centre County, where many registered voters did not reside at their listed addresses. This issue, identified in a 2019 report by former Auditor General Gene DiPasquale, remains unresolved due to lack of transparency from the Department of State. Representative Kiefer stressed the urgency of cleaning up voter rolls, a task that counties can undertake without new legislation.
In conclusion, AFPI delivered a comprehensive packet to state officials, including best practices for maintaining voter roll integrity and data showing the improbably high voter registration rates in several Pennsylvania counties. This event was a crucial step toward restoring faith in the election system and ensuring that every legal vote is counted accurately.
The event underscored the importance of clean and accurate voter rolls. The average voter registration rate in any given county in the United States is about 67%, yet Pennsylvania has eight counties with registration rates at or above 90%. This discrepancy raises serious questions about the eligibility of voters on these rolls. With the influx of millions of illegal immigrants and the adoption of automatic voter registration in Pennsylvania, the risk of ineligible voters casting ballots is significant.
Ongoing litigation in the Third Circuit reveals that between 10,000 and 100,000 non-citizens may be eligible to vote in Pennsylvania, an unacceptable situation. Every eligible voter should have the opportunity to cast one ballot that is only counted once. Any election system failing to meet this basic criterion is a failure. Success is impossible without clean and accurate voter rolls.