Nov. 4, 2020ROBERT FRANK / For Spotlight PAThe months-long political saga that guaranteed a long vote count in Pennsylvaniaby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAThe delay was not inevitable, but instead the product of a contentious disagreement between state politicians.
Nov. 3, 2020MATT SMITH / For Spotlight PARepublicans seek to sideline Pa. mail ballots that voters were allowed to fixby Angela Couloumbis and Jamie Martines of Spotlight PASome counties notified voters of problem ballots, or informed political parties so they could do outreach. Others did nothing.
Nov. 3, 2020ED MAHON / Spotlight PAWhen do we find out who won the 2020 election?by Spotlight PA StaffWe’re accustomed to finding out who won the election on election night. But for a number of reasons, that might not be the case in 2020.
Nov. 3, 2020ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia InquirerPa. 2020 election live updates: Joe Biden wins Pennsylvania, the presidency, AP declaresby Spotlight PA StaffThe commonwealth’s 20 Electoral College votes gave Biden the decisive edge, defeating President Donald Trump in a state that was key to Trump’s victory four years ago.
Nov. 3, 2020LOUIS B. RUEDIGER / For Spotlight PAHow Spotlight PA is covering the 2020 election in Pennsylvaniaby Christopher BaxterOur team of Spotlight PA reporters is fanned out across the state to deliver an independent, nonpartisan, and accurate report of one of our most fundamental rights and duties — casting a ballot.
Nov. 2, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerA new wave of Pa. poll workers will face a major test Tuesdayby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAHow much training poll workers have gotten this year varies from county to county, and the state’s new voting laws could pose additional challenges.
Nov. 2, 2020Margo Reed / Philadelphia InquirerThese Pa. counties won’t start counting mail ballots until Wednesday, possibly skewing early resultsby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PADespite mounting pressure from the state’s top election official, a handful of counties maintain they will not begin counting mail ballots on Election Day.
Nov. 2, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAHow Allegheny County came to rely on a company that sent 29,000 ballots to the wrong votersby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAThe county’s connection with Midwest Direct came through a little-known purchasing program run by the state that allows local officials to bypass bidding.
Nov. 2, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerVIDEO: A live 2020 Election Eve reader Q&A with Spotlight PA’s panel of political expertsby Spotlight PA StaffA full recording of Spotlight PA's Capitol Live reader Q&A on the 2020 election in Pennsylvania.
Oct. 30, 2020DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia InquirerState, counties prepare to keep Pa. polling places safe amid fears of militia, hate groupsby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA, Emily Previti of WITF, and Ramesh Santanam of PostindustrialWhile experts are optimistic there will not be widespread conflict, officials are taking extra precautions in case anyone tries to disrupt the 2020 election in Pennsylvania.
Oct. 30, 2020Margo Reed / Philadelphia InquirerHarassment, anger, and misinformation plague Pa. county officials as they struggle to keep 2020 election on trackby Marie Albiges and Tom Lisi for Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThey’re working 80-hour weeks, hiring armies of temporary workers, and renting extra space to keep them safe as they pledge to count votes by Friday after Election Day.
Oct. 29, 2020CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia InquirerWill Pa. be at the center of another Bush v. Gore? These 8 lawyers and scholars weigh in.by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAIf the election comes down to Pennsylvania, the days following Nov. 3 will likely be similar to Florida in 2000.
Oct. 28, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerPotentially thousands of requested mail ballots lost in Pa. county, official saysby Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAButler County has the worst return rate for mail ballots in the state, and the U.S. Postal Service has been asked to investigate.
Oct. 28, 2020JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia InquirerU.S. Supreme Court refuses to expedite Pa. mail ballot case, but could still interveneby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAWith the prospect the high court could still hear the case or related challenges to late ballots, state election officials urged voters to hand-deliver their ballots as soon as possible.
Oct. 28, 2020Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAErie County restricts activities of openly armed residents near the polls if they aren’t votingby Tom Lisi for Spotlight PAElections officials said they took the steps to combat voter intimidation, but at least one legal expert said a challenge was almost guaranteed.
Oct. 27, 2020TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia InquirerElection 2020 in Pennsylvania: All of your voting questions, answeredby Spotlight PA StaffCan I vote in person if I requested a mail ballot? Are guns allowed at the polls? Can I take a selfie? Spotlight PA will continue to answer your questions in the week leading up to the 2020 election.
Oct. 27, 2020Joe Hermitt / PennLiveMillions pour into Pa. House, Senate races as Democrats vie for controlby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PAFour of the many committees that are heavily involved in state legislative races have alone spent more than $16.9 million this year.
Oct. 27, 2020TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia InquirerWhat is ‘ballot harvesting,’ and who can and can’t deliver your mail ballot in Pa.by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAOnly a voter can mail their ballot or return it in person, unless they have a disability and officially designate someone to do it for them.
Oct. 26, 2020MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia InquirerDemocrats have control of the Pa. state House within their reachby Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA and Andrew Seidman of The Philadelphia InquirerPresident Donald Trump’s unpopularity in the suburbs is threatening down-ballot Republicans, and Democrats are pummeling GOP incumbents on the airwaves.
Oct. 23, 2020Margo Reed / Philadelphia InquirerCounties cannot reject mail ballots because of mismatched signatures, Pa. Supreme Court rulesby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe high court’s unanimous ruling makes it far less likely there will be drawn out challenges to mail-in ballots based on signatures come Election Day.
Oct. 22, 2020Margo Reed / Philadelphia InquirerHow Amy Coney Barrett could be key to new lawsuit to block Pa.’s mail-in ballot extensionby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAThe latest challenge raises a new legal question: whether extending the deadline affords mail-in voters a privilege not enjoyed by those who vote in person on Nov. 3.
Oct. 22, 2020Margo Reed / Philadelphia InquirerTalks collapse on a deal to let Pa. counties open mail ballots before Election Dayby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Jonathan Lai of The Philadelphia InquirerWith no deal between Gov. Tom Wolf and the GOP-led legislature, the processing of mail ballots can’t begin until 7 a.m. on Election Day, opening room for candidates to falsely declare victory.
Oct. 21, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerA year ago, voting machines malfunctioned in a pivotal Pa. county. Have the problems been fixed?by Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAVoters in Northampton County — widely seen as a bellwether for the 2020 election — will use machines that in 2019 caused voting errors and miscounts.
Oct. 19, 2020ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia InquirerU.S. Supreme Court allows 3-day extension to count Pennsylvania mail-in ballotsby Marie Albiges for Spotlight PAThe high court’s refusal to intervene in the case, brought by the state Republican Party and GOP leaders, means ballots in Pennsylvania will be accepted through Nov. 6.
Oct. 19, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerTop Pa. election official says ‘overwhelming majority’ of votes will be counted by Friday after Election Dayby Jamie Martines of Spotlight PAStill, Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar is urging state lawmakers to take additional action to prevent the possibility of delayed results.
Oct. 19, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerVIDEO: A live Spotlight PA interview with Secretary Kathy Boockvar on the 2020 election in Pa.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAA full recording of Spotlight PA's Capitol Live event on how Pennsylvania is working to ensure a fair and accurate vote.
Oct. 16, 2020YONG KIM / Philadelphia InquirerPa. could become ‘ground zero’ for court battles on — and after — Election Dayby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAFrom drop boxes to naked ballots, state and federal judges in recent weeks have waded into increasingly high-stakes battles to clarify what is legal, and what is not.
Oct. 15, 2020JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia InquirerEverything Pa. poll watchers can — and can’t — do on Election Day, explainedby Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and Emily Previti of WITFPresident Donald Trump called on his supporters to “go into the polls and watch very carefully.” But there are actually strict rules about poll watchers and what they can do.
Oct. 9, 2020HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia InquirerPa. Republicans drop effort to create ‘election integrity’ panel with subpoena powerby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PAAlarmed state Democratic lawmakers previously called the proposal a “stealth attack” on voting.
Oct. 8, 2020TIM TAI / Philadelphia InquirerLawmakers mount new push to give Pa. counties more flexibility in counting mail-in ballotsby Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PACounty election officials say it’s the number one issue standing between them and a timely counting of votes: allowing them to begin processing mail-in ballots before Nov. 3.
