When the mail in ballots get to Harrisburg...

[Sugarcoated]

I'm assuming that's where they go, mail in and absentee ballots, what is the protocol? How are they handled, opened and tallied? Who is present?

I looked for a site explaining the protocol but couldn't find the specifics I'm searching for. Plenty of pages explaining how to receive an absentee ballot, fill it out, send it it and track it.

Is there a link any of you fellow PA'ers are aware of?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. No idea how PA does it, but probably not too far from NY...

Elections here are run by the counties, with overview by the state.

An absentee ballot is delivered to the county election bureau. From there it is secured until election day and then either counted at the county offices or sent out to the poll it belongs to and counted there (often up to the county which to do).

Counted ballots are then secured for however long the law requires, which will be at least until any chance of a recount.

We have never found any major election fraud (at least not in my lifetime) that could have affected the outcome of the Presidential election, and presidential recounts are expensive and rare since it would be unusual that an individual county could affect a statewide election.

[Sugarcoated]

2. Seems to be the standard line now

from Trumpers here in PA, "No mail in, vote in person!" because "Mail in is too easy to cheat". I want to be able to knowledgeably explain the process and provide a link.

As an aside, I've already applied for my absentee/mail in ballot for the primary, I may also do the same for November. As it's always been, voting by mail in PA is one way to vote here. I don't think that will change, it would be so blatant, and besides that, so many need to vote by mail due to health or travel, but in the age of shameless and obvious Republican election cheating combined with Trump sending goons to states to legally fuck with things I don't know what they will try to pull. I'm going to influence public perception in discussion on FB Philly neighborhood FB groups and local media discussion.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Well, since this whole thing is blown way out of proportion by Trumpons, the best idea may be to...

egg 'em on and tell them if it's so corrupt, they'd best not vote at all.

[Sugarcoated]

6. LOL

I like that

[wcast]

3. It goes to the local election board.

That is where my envelope was addressed.

[Sugarcoated]

4. I applied online for absentee/mail in ballots

for my son, husband and I on 4/27. Says our son's was sent out 5/6, ours on 5/5. Wonder why it's taking so long?

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Less than two weeks? Remember all the other things going on now? And, around this time of year...

There are a lot of part-timers and temps who have to be trained and their work checked.

At my job, everyone is working at home, and once a week someone goes in to deal with the super-ultra secret computers and run the mail machine

[PA Democrat]

8. They are mailed back to your county election bureau.

I completed my ballot and mailed in it last week. Yesterday I received an email confirming that my ballot had been received before the deadline.

[Sugarcoated]

9. Does anyone know what happens to the ballots when we send them back with our vote?

I mean, specifically how are the votes entered, who is present. What is the protocol?