Pennsylvania State Capitol. Photo credit: Zack Frank/Shutterstock.com

The state Senate unanimously passed a measure allowing the auditor general to audit the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors to access the program's records for accuracy and if it's in accordance with Section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, evaluate its process for inputting and maintenance of voter registration records, review its security protocols and provide recommendations for increased efficiency.

According to a 2015 report presented by Pennsylvania Secretary Pedro A. Cortés regarding voter registration in Pennsylvania, the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) is the centralized voter registration and election management system that was created to assure accuracy and integrity of the state's voter registration records maintained by all Pennsylvania counties.

The Senate-approved legislation does not allow the auditor general to audit data, documentation, configuration representations, product or supplier names, network addresses or other “critical information that may interfere or jeopardize the security, privacy or integrity of the SURE system.” The auditor general department and the Office of Administration will determine, according to the bill, what is restricted content.