Today is the first day Pennsylvania counties can apply for added funding for their County Election Office.

It’s through a new provision included in the recently approved state budget.

But as Gary Sinderson reports there are still some questions about the measure as the state is offering new information programs.

We’re about 100 days away from the November general election. A new reports say close to 38 thousand Democrats in Pennsylvania have switched parties in the past year. For the Republicans, its about 12 thousand.

But in terms of registereing new voters, at least locally, less significant numbers

“If you look at this weeks report,we have 11 new voters. which is nothin extraordinary particularly going into the fall”

In the 2020 election, concerns about counties taking outside, private money to pay for the election, led to new legisltaion to ban such funding. Instead the state will offer added revenue, through a new grant program for county
election offices. in Centre County its about 500 thousand dollars.

But for counties receiving a grant, the legislation also sets new restrictions in the tabulating of mail in ballots-and there’s still questions about the new guidelines

“The department of state and DCED are putting together informational meetings for election boards, commissioners, our staff to learn more. its going to open on august first, thru the fifteenth.So we still have time”

As for mail in voting, itself, it continues to face court challenges. Republican state lawmakers recently filed another suit attempting to do away with mail in voting, while another decison on mail ins fate is pending before the State Supreme Court.