Pennsylvania State Capitol, Harrisburg. Photo: Waldteufel – Fotolia

Gov. Tom Wolf on July 9 said his administration was preparing to float a bond issue that would assist county governments in purchasing new voting machines with enhanced security to foil hacking and produce a paper record so voters can verify their ballot and assist in recounts.

“Pennsylvania counties are well on their way to replacing their voting systems and I applaud their tremendous commitment to protecting our elections,” Wolf said. “I remain committed to supporting their efforts and this funding will help the counties to complete that process.”

According to a Wolf administration statement, the bond issue would fund up to $90 million to reimburse counties for 60% of their actual costs to replace voting systems. The Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority may issue bonds, and the Department of State would make grants available to counties.

The Department of State will offer counties that use older models of hand-marked paper ballot voting systems an opportunity to request an extension until June 2021 to select new voting infrastructure. However, there will be a financial incentive for implementing on the current schedule: counties that implement new voting systems by the 2020 primary as directed by the department will receive their full share of all available federal and state funds.

The Department of State has already begun disbursing $14.15 million—mostly from federal funds—to counties for new voting systems.

Key Republicans slammed Wolf's move.

“The governor's executive actions risk the good relationship that he has cultivated with the General Assembly over the last couple of months,” said state House of Representatives Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York. “So far, the governor has not stated his legal authority to bond $90 million without legislative approval. The House is currently reviewing all of its legal options to respond to this.”

Wolf's bond-issue announcement was made four days after he vetoed Senate Bill 48, which would slow the rollout of new voting technology in Pennsylvania, calling the measure “a missed opportunity to enact meaningful voting reforms.”

Wolf said it is time to make sure the state has advanced voting technology that includes leaving a “paper trail,” citing national security and cybersecurity experts including members of the Trump administration.

Backers of SB 48 have argued that installing new machines statewide could not be thoroughly tested before their most high-profile use in a presidential election year.

“There would be no time to begin usage of these machines in prior elections to allow counties to work out the bugs in the system and assure smooth operation in such a crucial national election,” said Pennsylvania Sen. John Gordner, R-Columbia, the bill's sponsor, in a memorandum to colleagues.

Saylor, in blasting the bond announcement, said SB 48 would have “fully funded the voting machine initiatives.”