The Pennsylvania election was fair and accurate. Extremists are now pursuing a sham election review.

The 2020 election in Pennsylvania was secure and the results were accurate. The results were certified and official recounts and audits were conducted following Election Day. There were at least fifteen frivolous legal challenges to the voting system, the counting process, and the results of the election. All claims of voter fraud and other challenges to the election administration and results were rejected by the courts.

Pennsylvania Election Results

Biden/Harris

3,458,229

50.01%

Trump/Pence

3,377,674

48.84%

Date of Election Certification

November 24th, 2020

Why Should We Trust the Official Results?

Pennsylvania conducted a legally mandated statistical review prior to certification of the election. Source

Pennsylvania also conducted a risk-limiting audit that confirmed the outcome of the election. Source Source

Were there bipartisan election observers allowed? Yes.

Pennsylvania allows observers from each party to watch ballot counting. Their ability to get close enough was subject to a number of lawsuits that were all rejected and the courts held that observer requirements were complied with during the 2020 election. Source

Background on the Sham Review

Overview

Following his trip to Maricopa County, state Senator Doug Mastriano and other GOP lawmakers called for a Cyber Ninjas-style election review of the 2020 election. Mastriano sent a letter to three counties requesting extensive access to their equipment and paper ballots from Philadelphia, Tioga, and York. Philadelphia and Tioga Counties chose not to comply, and York County raised concerns regarding his request. Source Source Source Source

In August, President Pro Tempore Jake Corman stripped Mastriano’s chairmanship of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations panel and assigned the role to state Senator Cris Dush. Source

In late September 2022, the Pennsylvania State Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee voted 7-2 along party lines to issue a subpoena for the private information of millions of voters in preparation for a partisan review of the 2020 election results. Senate Democrats, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, and state Senator Art Haywood filed separate lawsuits challenging the subpoena. Source Source Source Source

Key Actors

Pennsylvania State Senator Doug Mastriano

Mastriano is pushing for a broader audit. Not only did he attend the "Stop the Steal" January 6th rally, his campaign spent thousands of dollars on charter buses to send people to the event that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Source Source
Pennsylvania’s President Pro Tempore Jake Corman

Corman, after weeks of silence about a potential “investigation” says he is “committed to conducting a full investigatory audit of recent elections to improve our election system going forward.” Corman dismissed State Senator Mastriano and appointed State Senator Cris Dush to take up the cause. Corman’s flip-flop on the election review came after he spoke with ex-President Trump. Source Source Source Source
Pennsylvania State Senator Cris Dush

Dush, was appointed by President Pro Tempore Jake Corman to “take up this cause and initiate a thorough review of the election.” Dush is close with Senator Mastriano and travelled with Mastriano to tour the Cyber Ninja’s operation in Marciopa County, Arizona. Source Source

Federal Election Protection & Security Concerns

Voting machines custody issues

Voting machines custody issues Fulton County allowed improper third-party access to voting machines and operating systems. This equipment can no longer be used in future elections. Source

As of July 8, 2021, there is not enough information about the Mastriano-backed "audit" and the protocols and procedures to know the extent of whether or not it will compromise voting equipment or voter privacy. The Secretary of State issued a directive to all county Boards of Election that providing third-parties access to electronic voting equipment and/or its systems would render the equipment insecure, uncertified, and unusable. Source

State & Local Reactions

“Unless there is a coup, which is not going to happen in the United States, the 2020 election is over.” – Republican Pennsylvania State Senator Gene Yaw, wrote on his Senate website. Source

"The current attempt to discredit the 2020 election results runs headlong into an unmistakable truth. Donald Trump lost Pennsylvania because Donald Trump received fewer votes." – Republican Pennsylvania state Senator Dan Laughlin. Source

“I would encourage our legislators to educate themselves to know that our election was certified and that it was audited, not once - but twice - and there was no doubt about the outcome. It was safe, it was secure, and it wasn’t even close.” – City Commissioner of Philadelphia Al Schmidt. Source

Funding Streams

The audit in Fulton County was funded by Defending the Republic, Trump attorney Sidney Powell’s organization. Source

The Sen. Mastriano-backed election review does not have clear funding. Sen. Camera Bartolotta, who tuned in for part of Mastriano’s presentation on June 30th, said: “I don’t know who’s going to pay for an audit.” Mastriano may be seeking private funding for the audit as he has asked for a legal opinion on the legality of doing so. Source

Status & Timeline

Status: Not Complete

On September 15th the Pennsylvania State Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee led by Cris Dush issued subpoenas requesting personal information of every voter, in preparation for a partisan review of the 2020 election results. Senate Democrats, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, and state Senator Art Haywood filed separate lawsuits challenging the subpoena. Source