PA Election Official Says Voting Is Safe Ahead Of Midterms

Election administrators across Pennsylvania are expanding access and updating operational procedures to safeguard ballots and assist voters ahead of the upcoming midterm election, a top state official said Tuesday.

In a recorded message, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reassured voters that state and county election offices are taking steps to streamline the voting experience while keeping oversight.

“Having been a county election commissioner for 10 years, I know firsthand how much preparation goes into every election, no matter what cycle or what’s going on in the political world outside of election administration,” Schmidt said. “I’m confident that eligible voters in Pennsylvania can and should approach this election like they always do.”

Work between state and county offices to redesign mail-in ballot envelopes and a yearlong educational drive have reduced ballot rejection rates caused by voter errors by nearly 60 percent, Schmidt said.

Pennsylvania does not offer standard early voting, but eligible residents may cast a mail-in ballot in person at county election offices or designated satellite offices.

State officials this week rolled out an election toolkit containing a simplified application workflow that permits voters to request, mark, and submit an on-demand mail-in ballot during a single in-person visit.

In Bucks County, officials are opening several temporary election offices to accommodate residents seeking on-demand mail-in options.

“The deadline to apply for a mail ballot and to vote by on-demand mail ballot is October 27,” Schmidt said.

Statewide, roughly 986,000 mail-in ballot applications have been approved and make up approximately 95 percent of all applications submitted to date.

With six weeks remaining before Election Day, Schmidt stated that state authorities are focused on sharing guidelines, dispelling misinformation, and addressing staffing demands.

Counties across the commonwealth continue to recruit poll workers to staff voting centers.

“We continue to be focused on ensuring that all county election staff, including the many new directors preparing for their first general election, are given training and the support they need,” Schmidt said. “In Pennsylvania, it’s at the county level where elections are run.”

Voter tools are available on election websites from the state and the Bucks County Board of Elections.

Last week, Schmidt praised a U.S. Supreme Court decision blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing newly proposed mail-in ballot policies advanced by President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm races.

“Eligible Pennsylvanians who choose to vote by mail should have confidence that they can continue to do so safely and securely,” Schmidt said after the ruling. “The Shapiro administration fought to prevent this unprecedented overreach into Pennsylvania’s elections, and we will continue fighting to ensure that the people of this commonwealth have yet another free, fair, safe and secure election.”

Election officials in multiple states had cautioned that the proposed regulations could cause disruptions due to the timeline and voter disenfranchisement.

Trump, who often alleges fraud when electoral outcomes do not turn out in his favor, voiced opposition to the ruling on social media.

He wrote, “The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!”

Amid concern regarding whether federal authorities could be deployed to influence election procedures, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the issue in an August letter and stated that military personnel will not be assigned to polling stations.

“I have neither received nor anticipate receiving any unlawful order concerning the role of the Joint Force in the upcoming November 2026 midterm elections,” Caine wrote.

At a press conference Tuesday, Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter stated that federal law enforcement remains committed to investigating and prosecuting instances of illegal voting while maintaining “election integrity” measures.