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
Rookie Ronny Mauricio belts long homer as Mets rip lowly Rockies

Rookie Ronny Mauricio Launches Long Homer as Mets Dominate Rockies

DENVER — Ronny Mauricio is prone to chasing pitches and striking out,…
California AG takes stance on Menendez brothers prosecutor staying on case amid resentencing battle

California Legislator Cautions That Menendez Brothers’ Case Spurs Reintroduction of Bill to Release Thousands of Convicted Killers

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A California legislator attributes…
Trump says Elon Musk could face 'serious consequences' if he backs Democratic candidates

Trump Warns Elon Musk of Potential Repercussions for Supporting Democrats

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — President Donald Trump remains firm in his dispute with…
A man in a suit speaks at a Reform UK press conference.

Reform Chairman Rejoins Party Two Days After Resignation, Citing ‘Exhaustion’

REFORM UK chairman Zia Yusuf has reversed his move to quit the…
Protesters and immigration authorities face off for a second day in LA area after arrests

Second Day of Clashes in LA: Protesters Confront Immigration Authorities Following Arrests

PARAMOUNT, Calif. (AP) — The air on the outskirts of southern Los…
Ex-Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph arrested, charged in fatal car crash

Former Cowboys Cornerback Kelvin Joseph Arrested and Charged in Fatal Car Crash

Ex-Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph was taken into custody Saturday morning on a…

Unusual Trend: Celebrities Selling Personal Items Like Underwear and Bathwater

SYDNEY Sweeney has been getting pervy fans hot under the collar after…
Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera remembered by community after fatal Chatham shooting on South Drexel Avenue during operation

Community Honors Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera After Tragic Shooting on South Drexel Avenue in Chatham

The community in Chicago is mourning a 36-year-old mother and police officer…
Woman declared dead by coroner, moved to coffin, turns out to be alive

Coroner Mistake: Woman Found Alive After Being Pronounced Dead and Placed in Coffin

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A woman who had…
Protesters clashing with law enforcement during a demonstration against immigration raids.

Trump Deploys 2,000 Troops to Los Angeles Amid Violent Clashes Over Immigration Crackdown

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has ordered 2,000 National Guard troops into Los Angeles…
What to know about Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to LA protests

Understanding Trump’s Decision to Deploy National Guard Troops to LA Protests

President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of 2,000 California National Guard…
Justin Bieber fans beg him to 'get help' as he appears to be 'struggling' in new photos

Concerned Fans Urge Justin Bieber to Seek Assistance Following Concerning New Photos

Justin Bieber’s fans begged him to “get help” after he appeared to…