The Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Board of Elections was so eager to send out the first mail-in ballots in the state that it skipped a legally required step in the process, the Republican National Committee (RNC) alleges.
Ballots must be run through the counting machinery for “logic and accuracy testing” before being used in an election, according to Pennsylvania law 25 P.S. §3031.10(d) and a March 7 directive from the Pennsylvania secretary of state. This testing must be done at least 15 days before every election, and certification of testing must be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Why the testing? It is a preventive check. Imagine sending out thousands of ballots, then finding out on Election Day that they can’t be properly scanned in the equipment.
Logic and accuracy testing finds ballot errors such as the problems with the location of folds in mail ballots; incorrectly worded ballot questions; missing or improperly labeled races.
115,000 ballots were requested. The county started mailing them out last week.
Neil Makhija, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, posted on social media Sept. 17 that he cast the first vote in Pennsylvania.
“I serve as the chief election official in PA’s 3rd largest county — where we’re working to ensure a safe, secure, and accessible election for all,” Makhija posted. “Get ready to vote, Montco! 115,000 ballots are coming to mailboxes this week. In person, our ballots are available NOW. ‼️”
Montco is the local nickname for Montgomery County.
