Replacing Franklin County's 'unhackable' voting system to cost $850,000

CHAMBERSBURG -- Franklin County, like Pennsylvania's 66 other counties, must replace its voting system before the 2020 presidential election.

County officials however are sitting out demonstrations of the latest certified voting systems.

“We will probably have a vendor demonstration here at some point,” said Carrie Gray, county administrator.

County officials expect to spend $850,000 to replace the current voting system, according to Gray.

Franklin County commissioners say the county’s current method of voting by paper ballots is “virtually unhackable.”

More:Franklin County needs $6 million to improve voting system, 911 center and the jail

“While we do currently have a voting system that provides a paper trail, the state is requesting that we replace our equipment due to the age of the systems,” Gray said. “If we are forced to change our voting system, we would plan to do so for the November 2019 election, instead of trying to implement a new voting system during a Presidential Primary” on April 28, 2020.

Voters select county commissioners in the 2019 election.

Counties will need to pick a new voting system that has been certified by both the federal Election Assistance Commission and Pennsylvania Secretary of State.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in April called on election officials in all 50 states to make sure that ballots cast in the 2020 presidential election can be verified and audited. Her order followed continued efforts by Russia to interfere in the U.S. electoral process.

So far, the state has certified two systems under the new standards. Up to five are expected to be certified.

Franklin County has applied for a $152,626 Help America Vote Act grant. 

“That will only cover a small part of the entire cost,” Gray said. “Our hope is that the governor will allocate money in the upcoming budget for the replacement of voting equipment.”

Gov. Tom Wolf is seeking to provide state funding to cover half of the counties' cost for new voting systems. County officials estimate the cost of a statewide upgrade at $125 million.

Franklin County Commissioners spent nearly $1 million in 2006 for the current voting system. A federal HAVA grant covered nearly 80 percent of the cost.

Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres in April told counties that they must provide a paper record and meet 21st-century standards of security, auditability and accessibility no later than Dec. 31, 2019. He prefers that the system be in place by the November 2019 general election.

Most of the voting machines in use in Pennsylvania are older than the first iPhone that came out in June 2007, according to Torres. The manufacturers soon will stop supporting their software and hardware.

Vendors have exhibited their systems at recent state-sponsored public expos in Carlisle, State College, Moosic and Doylestown.

Susquehanna County is the first to purchase a new system.

JIm Hook,  717-262-4759