Pennsylvania won’t test internet-connected e-pollbooks in 2026 primary

“Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Pennsylvania’s free newsletter here. The Pennsylvania Department of State is postponing a pilot program to connect electronic pollbooks — the devices election workers use to check voters in at the polls — to the internet. Counties were slated to test the function in the May 19 primary , but the department said last week that unresolved technical questions and low interest from counties led them to delay the pilot until at least next year. Only Philadelphia, Lebanon, and Delaware counties had signed up for the pilot, the department confirmed. “While the anticipated pilots are being postponed, the feedback and collaborative discussions have helped identify key technical and operational considerations that will support more informed decision-making in the future as DOS plans a more comprehensive feasibility review of full connectivity after the 2026 General Election,” said Ellen Lyon, a spokesperson for the department. A majority of counties already use electronic pollbooks, but unlike some other states, Pennsylvania currently doesn’t allow them to be connected to the internet. The pilot, which Votebeat and Spotlight PA first reported on in February, would have enabled a few preapproved counties to assess the pros and cons of doing so. Proponents of the pilot had been looking forward to testing some of the e-pollbooks’ capabilities that are only unlocked with an internet connection. “It’s a shame because it will be a great step forward when we do it,” Sean Drasher, the Lebanon County elections director, said. He was planning to test connectivity in two precincts during the primary. Internet-connected e-pollbooks have various benefits, such as enabling election officials to monitor turnout in real time so that they know where to deploy more resources. They would also allow some Election Day issues to be more quickly resolved. For instance, if a precinct was given the wrong pollbook with the wrong list of voters, an update could be sent instantly and prevent any voting delays. Last fall, Chester County misprinted its paper pollbooks, excluding independent and third party voters . The error left the county rushing to print supplemental pollbooks on Election Day and forced thousands of voters to cast provisional ballots, which carry an additional risk of rejection . With internet-connected e-pollbooks, “you could address that in minutes; it would not be a mad scramble,” said Jim Allen, the Delaware County election director. “We’ve seen in a few cases now the extreme problems with using paper pollbooks, which is like turning back the clock and using a phone book.” Allen said he “absolutely” hopes he will be using internet-connected e-pollbooks for the 2028 presidential election. He thinks part of the reason the state hasn’t seen more counties adopt e-pollbooks is because, without an internet connection, they aren’t operating to their full potential. He conducted a test demonstration of internet-connected e-pollbooks in a mock election last September, he said, and found a lot of value in being able to resolve issues fast, monitor turnout, and quickly upload voter histories once the polls closed. “It’s been secure and proven as a valuable asset in numerous other jurisdictions across the U.S.,” he said. “This was an opportunity to test this at a low-key, lower-pressure election, and now it’s going to be pushed back until at least 2027.” Carter Walker is a reporter for Votebeat in partnership with Spotlight PA. Contact Carter at cwalker@votebeat.org .

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