Jan. 21, 2021Commonwealth Media ServicesTop Pa. election official calls for end to ‘lies’ as GOP launches 2020 hearingsby Marie Albiges of Spotlight PAThe hearing was the first of 14 Republicans intend to hold on the administration of an election they largely won. Democrats launched a counter-offensive, “Defending Democracy,” to “address the lies.”
Jan. 14, 2021Mark Pynes / PennLiveLaw enforcement in Pa. preparing for possible unrest despite ‘no specific threats’ to the Capitolby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PACapitol Police have increased security at the complex in Harrisburg and erected barriers near the main building.
Jan. 12, 2021James Robinson / Pennsylvania Senate Democratic CaucusFederal judge rules in favor of Democratic Pa. Senate candidate GOP refused to seatby Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PARepublican Nicole Ziccarelli filed the suit seeking to throw out 2,349 mail ballots that Allegheny County election officials counted even though they did not have a handwritten date on the outer envel
Jan. 8, 2021Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAA Pa. Republican lawmaker who marched to the Capitol before the mob attack is facing calls to resignby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAState Sen. Doug Mastriano was seen in social media photos outside the Capitol before insurrectionists attacked the building.
Jan. 6, 2021HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerTop Pa. lawmakers who rejected election results denounce U.S. Capitol mobby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PARepublican leaders who have called into question the integrity of the election said objections should be handled peacefully and denounced violence at the U.S. Capitol.
Jan. 6, 2021JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerRepublican leaders in Pa. Senate ask Congress to delay Electoral College countby Marie Albiges of Spotlight PAPresident Pro Tempore Jake Corman and Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward said certain “inconsistencies” with how the election was run in Pennsylvania still need to be investigated.
Jan. 5, 2021Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAElection officials want a say in Pa.’s voting reforms, but politics may get in the wayby Marie Albiges of Spotlight PAAs two GOP lawmakers push to abolish mail voting, county election officials say the state should keep and improve the new system.
Jan. 4, 2021James Robinson / Pennsylvania Senate Democratic CaucusGOP leaders in Pa. Senate will refuse to seat Democrat certified by state as winnerby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe top Republican in the Senate said a decision in a legal challenge brought by Brewster’s GOP challenger is necessary before the chamber can swear in a winner.
Dec. 29, 2020JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerSatellite offices gave Pa. voters more options to cast early ballots in person. Were they worth it?by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAOf the state’s 67 counties, six of the most highly populated decided to open auxiliary offices. Just one has firm plans to continue using them in the future.
Dec. 23, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerAs he seeks to overturn Pa.’s election, Trump invites GOP senators to White House lunchby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe invitation from the White House for Wednesday’s luncheon was sent to every Republican in the GOP-controlled chamber.
Dec. 23, 2020Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAThousands of ballots will be audited as part of Pa.’s post-election reviewby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAThe review, which will be completed by Jan. 22, provides a statistical assurance that there were no errors in the state's declaration of Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
Dec. 21, 2020KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY / Sun-GazettePa. election officials are burnt out and leaving their jobs after 2020 ‘nightmare’by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PASince the passage of the 2019 law that made sweeping changes to voting in Pennsylvania, at least 21 election officials have left or will soon leave their posts.
Dec. 15, 2020Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAMailed ballots, tight deadlines caused a crunch for Pa. elections officials. Now, comes the reckoning.by Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAVoters could request a mail ballot just seven days before the Nov. 3 election, making it difficult for county offices to send them out and receive them back by the deadline.
Dec. 14, 2020JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerWith unusual attention, Pa. presidential electors officially cast votes for Joe Bidenby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PANormally a formality in the lead-up to Inauguration Day, the meeting has received far greater attention than usual as President Donald Trump continues to deny the results of November’s election.
Dec. 10, 2020Robert Frank / For Spotlight PAThe 2020 election cost Pa. counties millions in OT, was most expensive ever, officials sayby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAThe pandemic and a new vote-by-mail system overwhelmed already overworked election offices, but some tapped federal pandemic stimulus money to help cover costs.
Dec. 8, 2020Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAFirm ran Pa. senator’s campaign and worked with super PAC to attack opponent, but denies coordinationby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Sam Janesch of The CaucusCoordination between independent expenditure groups and political campaigns is forbidden. But weak state and federal campaign finance rules and meager oversight create gray areas and loopholes.
Dec. 4, 2020Dan Gleiter / The Patriot-NewsGOP leaders ask Congress to reject Pa.’s electors for Joe Bidenby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe effort is another attempt by Republican lawmakers to undermine the outcome of November’s election.
Dec. 3, 2020Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPandemic, partisan attacks exposed gaps in Pa.’s new mail-in voting lawby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAWhile many lawmakers agree changes are needed, finding common ground in the current hyper-partisan climate might be difficult — if not impossible.
Dec. 2, 2020JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer‘Mistakes were made’ at maskless election hearing held by COVID-positive lawmaker, Pa. Senate leader saysby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PABreaking his silence, top GOP Sen. Jake Corman said his office is reviewing how the hearing was organized and executed.
Dec. 1, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAGOP leadership silent after Pa. senator tests positive for COVID-19 following maskless election eventby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PACoronavirus cases and hospitalizations are surging, making mitigation efforts like wearing masks and not gathering in small spaces more important than ever.
Nov. 30, 2020JACK HANRAHAN / ERIE TIMES-NEWSPa. counties reported no major issues with Dominion voting machines, a target of Trump and his campaignby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PADonald Trump won 86% of the Pennsylvania counties that used Dominion devices, while state Republicans who are now echoing the president's distrust of the machines performed well in the 2020 election.
Nov. 27, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPresident Trump invited Pa. lawmakers to the White House. Then everyone went silent.by William Bender of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAPresident Donald Trump summoned state lawmakers to the White House to talk about the election, but those who went weren't talking about it later.
Nov. 25, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerTrump campaign takes its complaints over Pa. election before GOP lawmakers, after string of court lossesby Jeremy Roebuck and Sean Collins Walsh of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe president scuttled plans to attend the GOP-run state Senate meeting in person, but falsely claimed by phone the “election was rigged.”
Nov. 25, 2020Nate Smallwood / Tribune-ReviewLast-minute assignments, lack of training left Pittsburgh-area poll workers unprepared on Election Dayby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PASpotlight PA and Votebeat interviewed eight Allegheny County poll workers, who suggested the success seen on Nov. 3 was far from inevitable.
Nov. 24, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPa. declares Biden as winner of state’s 2020 presidential election, certifies resultsby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAOnly President-elect Joe Biden’s electors will go to Harrisburg on Dec. 14 to formally cast their support for the former vice president, who won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes.
Nov. 20, 2020Robert Frank / For Spotlight PAPa. counties expect to sign off on election results by Monday despite Trump’s attempts to delay certificationby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PA and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAThe routine administrative step has taken on new importance as President Donald Trump and his campaign allies try to inject controversy into the process.
Nov. 18, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPa. GOP advances audit of 2020 election, says it’s not about fraudby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAA resolution tasks a bipartisan committee that holds subpoena power with compiling a report on issues and “inconsistencies,” and hiring a firm to audit the vote.
Nov. 17, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerSpanish speakers in Pa. faced confused poll workers, lack of interpreters on Election Dayby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAWhile the problems weren’t widespread, advocates say any instance of a Spanish speaker facing a barrier when it comes to voting is inexcusable and shouldn’t be happening in 2020.
Nov. 13, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAMeet Pennsylvania’s Electoral College voters: Everything they can — and can’t — doby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAElectors in Pennsylvania are traditionally party loyalists, although there's no rule preventing them from going rogue.
Nov. 12, 2020JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerTens of thousands of provisional ballots in Pa. still need to be processedby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAConfusion and anxiety over mail voting caused a wave of 94,000 provisional ballots — required when a voter's eligibility is in question — to be cast on Nov. 3, likely setting a new state record.
