Pennsylvania lawmakers weigh chances of voter fraud

Political candidates have repeatedly brought up concerns about election fraud.

The ubiquity of these stories prompted the GOP-led House State Government Committee to hold a hearing Tuesday asking if the Pennsylvania vote is safe.

And the general consensus is — yes.

During a recent speech in Lancaster County, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump told supporters to take matters into their own hands.

“You’ve gotta get your friends, and you’ve gotta get everybody you know, and you’ve gotta watch your polling booth, because I hear too many stories about Pennsylvania,” he said.

Private citizens aren’t legally allowed to watch polls in Pennsylvania because the practice is thought to risk voter intimidation.

Under state law, official poll watchers can monitor polling places only in their home counties.

However, a bill that passed the State Government Committee in June aims to broaden the law, letting people watch polls anywhere in the state.

But Edward Allison, who directs voter registration for Lawrence County, said the legislation is unnecessary and unhelpful.

“Any time you introduce another variable into a process we already have and that works well, you certainly introduce a certain amount of question,” he said.

Others testifying before the panel, including Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes, told the committee chances of fraud in November are very low.