In a move to bolster the integrity and security of Pennsylvania's elections, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt has spearheaded the creation of a new Election Directors Training Team, as pledged by Governor Shapiro. This initiative seeks to provide Pennsylvania's county election directors with both education and support in anticipation of the upcoming 2024 presidential elections.
Schmidt addressed the necessity of the program, noting the significant changes that have rocked the election administration landscape since the 2020 presidential election. With a notable turnover among top election officials, the Department saw it critical this year to "offer this additional training and support," as stated in an announcement acquired by the Department of State's website. The training team, which was assembled in 2023, has to date conducted 20 trainings on various instructional topics. Moreover, two more training sessions are on the schedule before the April 23 primary election.
The team's formation is just one part of the Shapiro Administration's comprehensive approach to election security. In addition to group trainings, the newly established team provides personalized one-on-one assistance to election administrators as needed, utilizing the expertise of professionals with real-world experience in managing elections across Pennsylvania counties.
"The trainings have been especially effective because a former county elections director has been leading the effort," Mercer County Elections Director Thad Hall said. Praising the initiative, Hall emphasized the value of trainers with firsthand experience, underscoring that "having people who have run county elections leading the training effort makes all the difference," according to the Department of State's website.
Last month, Secretary Schmidt was also at the helm of launching the Pennsylvania Election Threats Task Force, a collective comprised of federal, state, and local entities. The task force's mission is to ensure that voters can cast their ballots free from intimidation, and to propagate accurate and reliable election information, as the state braces for one of its most scrutinized electoral cycles.
