Dec. 13, 2023
HARRISBURG -- Rep. Ann Flood (R-Northampton) today released a
detailed report aimed at addressing significant concerns surrounding the November 2023 election in Northampton County. The comprehensive report includes legislative proposals intended to safeguard the integrity of future elections.
“People will begin to lose faith in government if they do not have confidence in the electoral system. It is our responsibility to ensure the security and integrity of our voting procedures,” Flood said. “My report and the proposed solutions are an important step toward accomplishing the goal of restoring voter confidence and improving election integrity.”
Voters in Northampton County experienced problems including malfunctioning voting machines and paper ballots improperly recording votes for judicial retention. Reports show that 2,400 voters were required to use paper ballots, resulting in 35 provisional and 2,160 emergency ballots, leading to at least 100 voters being turned away at the polls with many voters expressing concern.
Flood expressed concern that even after the certification and a risk-limiting audit, additional problems with voting machines surfaced. The ongoing investigation by Northampton County officials and the Department of State (DOS) aims to uncover the root causes and implement necessary reforms.
Flood is preparing the following legislative proposals to address election integrity issues:
• Phasing out of “ballot marking device” election machines as used in Northampton County. These machines are error-prone, not as usable in an emergency require extra costs. This bill would prevent the Department of State from newly certifying any such machines and prevent counties from newly buying these machines. Currently owned machines could continue to be used until replacement.
• Ensuring sufficient emergency ballots. For precincts using ballot-marking device machines, the bill would require enough emergency ballots be provided as required under the election code. The ballots supplied for ballot-marking machines are not usable by a voter in the absence of a working machine, and shortages of emergency ballots led to voters being turned away in Northampton.
• Setting an explicit requirement for privacy in voting even during emergency voting procedures in a precinct, with election machines down and officials making substitute arrangements for voting.
The proposed legislation aims to prevent a recurrence of the problems witnessed during the 2023 election, fostering a robust and reliable electoral system for Northampton County and beyond.
The comprehensive report titled “2023 Election: The Impact of Issues with the Administration of Elections in Northampton County” is now available on
Flood's official website.
Representative Ann Flood
138th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Will Jones
WJones@pahousegop.com
717.260.6615
RepFlood.com /
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