Share this @internewscast.com

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania will announce a new election security task force Thursday that will put in place a cascade of measures across federal, state and local agencies that officials hope will keep the 2024 vote in the battleground state free from interference, misinformation and other major obstacles.

The Election Threats Task Force, first reported by NBC News, will be led by Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and will involve officials from at least 10 government agencies, from election administration and law enforcement to homeland security to emergency management.

“We take our responsibility as stewards of our democracy seriously and the Election Threats Task Force will ensure all levels of government are working together to combat misinformation, safeguard the rights of every citizen, and ensure this election is safe, secure, free, and fair,” Shapiro said in a statement to NBC News.

The task force’s primary goal will be to coordinate plans and share information and intelligence among a wide variety of offices whose jurisdictions include elements of election safety that can tend to be peripheral to one another.

They include the U.S. attorney’s offices for the state’s three federal districts, the state attorney general’s office, commissioners and election directors across many of the state’s 67 counties, the state and federal Homeland Security departments, the state police, the state’s official information technology and emergency management branches and the Pennsylvania National Guard.

The broader goal? To mitigate threats to elections and protect voters and election workers and to make sure voters get accurate information about their elections.

The task force is being formed nearly four years after Joe Biden’s narrow victory over Donald Trump in Pennsylvania — which put him over the edge in the Electoral College — was marred by threats to election workers, the spread of misinformation and worries about the pace of the vote count.

Experts have long marveled at how easily those efforts to interfere could have affected the outcome. Now Pennsylvania officials seek to leave even less to chance.

It’s the latest move by Shapiro to shore up the voting process ahead of the 2024 cycle. Faced with a divided Legislature, he has mostly resorted to executive actions.

Most prominently, he signed an order last year that automatically registered anyone getting a driver’s license in Pennsylvania to vote.

At the time, Trump posted on social media that it amounted to a “disaster for the election of Republicans” — which some interpreted as a rallying cry for his allies to try to boost GOP prospects by interfering in future races.

“In recent years, we’ve seen bad-faith actors attempt to exploit these changes by spreading lies and baseless conspiracy theories, and attempting to delegitimize our safe, secure, and accurate elections,” said Schmidt, who as the secretary of the commonwealth is the state’s top elections official.

“This task force has been working together to develop and coordinate plans to combat this dangerous misinformation and continue providing all eligible voters with accurate, trusted election information,” added Schmidt, a Republican appointed by Shapiro.

Shapiro, who was attorney general until his election as governor in 2022, led a similar effort as the state’s top cop. The new task force will also operate on top of a similar initiative from 2018, launched by Shapiro’s predecessor, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, called the Inter-Agency Election Preparedness and Security Workgroup.

Nevertheless, Pennsylvania — both during and after the 2020 race — has been home to myriad efforts to subvert elections.

They have included lawsuits seeking to throw out huge numbers of absentee ballots, efforts by Trump allies to audit 2020 ballots and to access ballots, as well as voting and elections equipment. They have also involved elections officials in some counties — who have expressed skepticism about Trump’s loss to Biden in 2020 — who have, at least initially, refused in some cases to certify their counties’ election results.

The task force won’t be equipped to deal with all such potential issues. For example, the slow counting of ballots in Pennsylvania in 2020, which drew numerous lawsuits and conspiracy theories from Trump and his allies, is a problem that lawmakers in the divided Legislature still haven’t addressed.

Despite a push for changes that would allow processing the influx of mail and absentee ballots ahead of Election Day, the Legislature, where Republicans control the Senate and Democrats have a narrow majority in the House, has failed to advance bills that would speed ballot counting in November.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
NFL news: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson out for Chicago Bears Week 8 matchup on Sunday

Lamar Jackson to Miss Week 8 Showdown: Ravens Face Bears Without Star Quarterback

BALTIMORE — The upcoming weekend marks a pivotal moment for the Baltimore…
California union proposes taxing billionaires to offset Medicaid cuts for low-income people

California Union Advocates for Tax on Billionaires to Counteract Medicaid Reductions for Low-Income Residents

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, a significant union proposed a one-time 5%…
The Beatles' Ringo Starr, 85, on reuniting with Paul McCartney, the mantra he lives by and what he said to Prince William

Ringo Starr, 85, Shares Insights on Reuniting with Paul McCartney, His Life’s Mantra, and a Memorable Exchange with Prince William

LOS ANGELES — Ringo Starr, the iconic drummer of The Beatles, is…
The Louvre detective? Mystery dapper 'detective' in AP photo after the Louvre heist creates social media buzz

Mystery Man in Dapper Attire Sparks Online Frenzy After Louvre Heist

PARIS — In the aftermath of the audacious theft of the crown…
Trump’s $230M DOJ settlement bid likely has few legal backstops

Trump’s $230M DOJ Settlement Proposal Faces Legal Hurdles, Experts Say

Former President Donald Trump is pursuing a substantial compensation claim, potentially amounting…
Asking Eric: Friendship disrupted by house full of security cameras

Home Surveillance Strains Friendship: How Eric’s Security Cameras Created Tension

Dear Eric: I’m deeply concerned about losing a cherished friendship. I met…
Can AI keep students motivated, or does it do the opposite?

Unlocking Student Potential: How AI Transforms Motivation in the Classroom

Imagine a student employing a writing assistant fueled by a generative AI…
FBI Director Kash Patel plans travel to China in fentanyl crackdown effort

FBI Director Kash Patel to Visit China in Strategic Move to Combat Fentanyl Crisis

FBI Director Kash Patel is scheduled to travel to China next month,…
30 California District Attorneys Are a Hard NO on Prop. 50, Gavin Newsom's Gerrymandering Scheme

AAG Dhillon Calms Tensions with Governor Newsom Over DOJ Election Monitoring Plans

The Department of Justice has announced plans to deploy election monitors to…
DC sniper's ex-wife reveals his chilling threat before killing spree

Ex-Wife of DC Sniper Discloses Ominous Warning Prior to Deadly Rampage

Dr. Mildred Muhammad found herself on a chilling hit list, targeted for…
Riverdale Amber Alert Illinois today: Police searching for kidnapping suspect Austin Bell, 4 kids, stolen car silver Acura MDX

Urgent Amber Alert: Search Underway for Suspect and 4 Missing Children in Stolen Silver Acura MDX in Riverdale, Illinois

In Riverdale, Illinois, authorities are actively searching for a suspect accused of…
'Brazen' Louvre thieves made targeted heist, treasures could be melted down: expert

Inside the Heist: A Cinematic Jewel Theft Unfolds in Paris

Every now and then, journalists come across stories so extraordinary that even…