Aug 13, 2018 2 min read

Any potential flaw in our voting system must be addressed – and it has been. Non-citizens can no longer register to vote when obtaining a driver’s license (“State changed ‘motor voter’ registration two years ago to weed out noncitizens,” July 30).

This issue has spanned several decades and multiple administrations – Republican and Democratic alike. We applaud the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Department of State not only for fixing the problem but also for their ongoing analytical review to ensure the absolute security of our electoral process without disenfranchising any voters.

Their coordinated work has been a measured and responsible approach. Now, with the issue well under control, it is essential for the Legislature to do what it needs to do to help us secure and modernize the state’s voting systems and technology.

Pennsylvania’s aging voting systems are more than 20 years old in some cases. The statewide voter registration database is equally old. These are vulnerabilities at a much larger scale than the ineligible registration problem.

Investment in both hardware and software is essential. If election security really is a priority, then funding is needed to help counties finance upgrades to ensure voting remains accurate, accessible, fair and secure.

Ray Murphy

Deputy director of Pennsylvania Voice, Philadelphia