2024 Election: Go inside headquarters where Philly counts your vote
NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia officials charged with counting votes on Election Day took reporters on a tour of their new, counting headquarters Friday, in an effort to combat voter disinformation expected on November 5th.
A ballot envelope sorting machine came to life in the Northeast Philadelphia elections warehouse where votes from mail-in and absentee ballots will be counted on Election Day. Date-stamped, scanned and sorted, they’re locked away until seven on the morning of the election, said city election officials who led Friday’s tour.
City Commissioner Omar Sabir said, "This process is secure. It has always been secure, but we want you to use it. We want Philadelphians to vote. We want you to have confidence in our election system."
Philadelphia’s three City Commissioners, who oversee elections, concerned disinformation has undercut faith in the vote count, ushered the press past machines being tested that slice open envelopes, workers flattening ballots and devices able to scan for the voter’s choices. They caution that a state law barring ballot-prep before seven on election morning will cause delays and possible trouble.
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FOX 29’s Jeff Cole asked City Commissioner Lisa Deeley why the delay is a problem. She replied, "I believe the delay is a problem because what it does - it allows time for misinformation and disinformation to sneak in and to constantly be repeated." Omar Sabi added, "We know we’ve been targets of misinformation and disinformation and it has been designed to get you to not trust the system and don’t vote."
The Commissioners report just under 150,000 mail-in ballots have been received so far, a number trailing the 2020 tally at this point. They said a smaller number of ballots and faster machines may speed the count. A secure and accurate count. Commissioner Lisa Deeley said, "Voting is safe and secure, and your vote is safe and secure. Every eligible vote that’s cast will be counted."