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WATCH: Pennsylvania’s top election official answers voting questions

by Spotlight PA Staff |

The secretary of state is appointed by the governor and oversees elections.
Commonwealth Media Services

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters.

In the November 2022 election in Pennsylvania, voters will decide the state’s next governor and U.S. senator, among other key roles in government. The governor wields significant power, signing or vetoing legislation, managing thousands of state employees, and overseeing the operations of critical state agencies.

Since 2020, many state lawmakers and candidates for public office have questioned the integrity of Pennsylvania’s elections and challenged the state law that created no-excuse mail voting. These issues have made their way to the commonwealth’s highest court, and depending on who gets elected this fall, the state could see major changes to election and voting policy.

On Sept. 29, Spotlight PA spoke with Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman, who oversees elections in Pennsylvania. Chapman discussed how her agency secures and runs elections, explained the state’s voting policies, and answered audience questions. In the second half of the panel, Spotlight PA reporters answered additional audience questions.

Watch the discussion below.

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