Pennsylvania Election Official Confirms Investigation Into Potentially Fraudulent Voter Registration Forms

Secretary of State Al Schmidt expressed confidence in the safeguards of the election process, stating, “This should give us confidence in the safeguards built into our election process.”

The top election official in Pennsylvania confirmed an investigation into potentially fraudulent voter registration applications following reports from multiple counties.

Schmidt mentioned that the problematic registrations in Lancaster County were flagged and forwarded to local law enforcement for further investigation.

During an election briefing reported by CNN, Schmidt clarified that the issue pertained to registration applications, not actual ballots cast. He emphasized that the Pennsylvania Department of State has been assisting the county with the review process from the beginning.

Assuring voters of the state’s election security, Schmidt highlighted that the problem was identified and is currently under investigation.

Schmidt assured the public that rigorous checks are in place to ensure the integrity of the voting process, including verifying voter eligibility and preventing multiple ballots per voter.

The concern arose when election workers in Lancaster County voiced alarm over similarities in two sets of voter registration applications, prompting examination of about 2,500 forms. Lancaster officials also alerted other counties to check for similar suspicious registrations.

Additional counties, such as Monroe and York, are also reviewing suspect forms and collaborating with law enforcement to investigate any instances of suspected fraud.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.