Harrisburg, Pa. – The Department of State has invited five vendors to exhibit their voter-verifiable paper record voting systems at the Farm Show complex on April 26 so legislators, state and county officials, stakeholders and the public can explore the features and options offered by the new machines.
“We scheduled this demonstration so Pennsylvanians can see and learn about new voting systems that are available,” Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres said. “This is an opportunity for interested vendors to show how their voting systems work and for officials and the public to try them out.”
Earlier this month, Torres
announced that he had informed counties to have new voter-verifiable paper record voting systems selected by the end of 2019, and preferably in place by the November 2019 general election. The department also issued an
Invitation for Bid (IFB) to voting system firms in early April.
Only one of the systems that will be on display is currently certified for use in Pennsylvania. Several others are expected to complete the state certification process later this year. Under the PA Election Code, counties may only use systems certified by both the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The department invited Unisyn Voting Solutions, Dominion Voting Systems, Election Systems & Software (ES&S), Hart InterCivic and Clear Ballot Group to display their voting equipment in the Commonwealth Room of the Farm Show complex from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The morning session will be invitation-only for county and state officials.
The public and media are invited to the afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Parking will be available in the lot off Wildwood Park Drive. Enter through the Cameron Street entrance. Handicap parking is available in the lot, and elevators to the exhibit area will be clearly marked.
The vendors were selected because their systems are certified by or are in the process of achieving certification from the EAC, and they have expressed interest in entering the Pennsylvania market.
Ultimately, counties will be able to choose from among any of the voting systems examined and certified after January 1, 2018, by both the EAC and the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
No registration is necessary to attend the demonstration. The Farm Show complex offers ample free parking.