HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth, Al Schmidt, reported a smooth and efficient execution of yesterday’s presidential primary election, with only minimal routine issues reported by voters throughout the state. In a statement, Schmidt commended the dedication of county election staff and poll workers for their role in conducting a secure and fair election, as well as voters for participating in the democratic process, whether through mail or in-person voting.
The primary saw nearly 896,000 mail ballot applications, including over 795,000 for no-excuse mail-in ballots and more than 100,000 for absentee ballots. By the 8 p.m. return deadline, counties had received over 75% of these completed ballots, indicating a robust participation in the electoral process through mail voting.
In-person voting also saw a significant turnout, with Pennsylvanians casting their votes at 9,163 polling places across all 67 counties. While final voter turnout numbers are pending, the early reports suggest a smoothly run election day.
Critical to this success was the Election Directors Training Team, launched last year, which held 23 trainings on 11 topics leading up to the primary. These sessions were designed to support both new and experienced county election administrators by providing them with a deeper understanding of their responsibilities, primary deadlines, and Election Code requirements.
Schmidt highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ensuring that all election directors received the necessary interactive assistance to manage a successful 2024 primary. Veteran election directors played a key role, sharing their expertise and wisdom with newer staff members, thereby contributing to the seamless execution of the election process.
On election day, the Department of State’s voter hotline (1-877-VOTESPA) received around 600 calls, mainly from voters inquiring about their registration status, polling place locations, or mail ballots. This was a decrease from the more than 3,600 calls received during the 2020 presidential primary, reflecting perhaps an increased voter familiarity with the process and improved election administration.
The Department of State has made unofficial results information available on its enhanced elections return website, offering detailed breakdowns of votes cast in person, by mail ballot, and by provisional ballot, both statewide and by county.
In closing, Schmidt extended his gratitude to the department’s county, state, and federal partners, including the Election Threats Task Force, for their collaborative efforts in safeguarding the integrity of the presidential primary election.
The smooth operation of Pennsylvania’s primary signals not just a triumph of logistics and planning but also underscores the importance of continued investment in election security and administrative training. With the general election on the horizon, the practices and procedures honed during this primary set a promising precedent for future electoral processes in the Commonwealth.
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