LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Officials say they have identified about 2,500 voter registration applications that are in-question and under investigation in Lancaster County.
According to the Lancaster County Board of Elections, staff members identified and contained these cases of voter registration fraud.
Officials say they are currently assessing the nature and volume of the fraud, but there are approximately 2,500 voter registration forms that were dropped off at the Board of Elections Office in Lancaster in two batches near the deadline for submission that drew suspicion.
The applications are going through an extensive, multi-step review process including checks for duplicate handwriting matching other voter registration forms, inconsistent signatures with what is on file, inaccurate or unverifiable addresses and inaccurate diver's licenses or Social Security numbers.
Authorities say that concerns were raised during the staff's normal process to review and enter the applications into the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) System and law enforcement was alerted.
Lancaster County Detectives began investigating the voter registration applications and immediately found applications that were fraudulent. In some cases, applications contained correct personal information such as the right address, phone, DOB, driver’s license and social security number, but the individual listed on the application informed detectives that they did not request the form, did not complete the form and verified that the signature on the form was not theirs.
In a press release, officials say that Lancaster County Elections systems are secure, and they worked in this instance.
"We will continue to operate with the highest levels of veracity, integrity, and transparency so that Lancaster County voters can be confident in the election," the release continues.
The majority of applications received are dated Aug. 15 and after and from residents in the City of Lancaster. Applications were also received from residents in Columbia, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Akron, Ephrata, Stevens, Strasburg as well as other locations across Lancaster County. These canvasses took place at various shopping centers, parking lots of grocery stores, other businesses, sidewalks, and parks.
Thus far, officials confirmed they have uncovered Elections Codes violations.
Watch the full press conference here:
During the investigation, if an application has been verified to be legitimate through the applicant confirming to detectives that they did provide information to a canvasser, the Board of Elections office will be notified and the application processed.
Sen. Ryan Aument (R-36) released the following statement regarding the fraudulent voter registration applications:
“Lancaster County Commissioners announced earlier today that county election workers identified suspicious voter registration applications that they immediately referred to the District Attorney’s office for investigation. Detectives confirmed that some applications were fraudulent, and county officials convened a press conference this morning to alert the public.
I commend the hard work and diligence of our county election workers as they quickly and accurately process all election applications and requests during this extremely busy time. I also thank the DA’s office for their hard work to swiftly investigate and identify the fraudulent activity.
This incident should reaffirm our confidence in Lancaster County’s ability to operate a smooth, fair, and secure election, and it should send a strong message to anyone hoping to scam our election system – you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
If you have reason to believe that your personal information was used on a voter registration application without your consent or if you were approached by someone and asked to register under suspicious circumstances, contact the Lancaster County Detectives at 717-299-8100.