CITIZENS URGE WESTMORELAND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO SWITCH TO PAPER BALLOTS

A group of citizens have urged Westmoreland County Commissioners to switch to paper ballots for the November election.  The Trib reports that about half a dozen people spoke during the public comment section of the regular Commissioners meeting, claiming the touch-screen system in place since 2020 was a potential target of tampering and election fraud.  Claims of widespread voter fraud nationally and in Pennsylvania in the 2020 election and subsequent balloting have been debunked by cybersecurity experts and voting officials. No specific claims of fraud have been raised related to elections in Westmoreland.  Commissioner Sean Kertes said he directed the county elections bureau to explore a potential shift in how the voting is conducted, but suggested it was unlikely any change would be made for the November election.  Commissioner Ted Kopas said the call for paper ballots was based on a faulty understanding of security concerns related to the county’s voting method.