Given the state of our democracy and the extreme differences of opinion regarding the direction of our country, the upcoming general election on Nov. 8 is critical.
We must increase the proportion of Americans who will have their voices heard, by voting, and we must be diligent about ensuring that the election, both at the polls, and via mail-in ballots, is, and is perceived as, fair, not fraudulent.
That is, we must defend the integrity and security of elections, to ensure our right to vote and our confidence that our vote will be accurately counted.
Stated another way, we must be alert to attempts to suppress voters by unlawfully purging eligible voters, polling place closures, cuts to early voting, onerous voter ID laws, etc.; and attempts to invalidate results on technicalities or somehow fraudulently changing the results.
Extensive media coverage of individuals and groups who claimed voter fraud in the last general election widely exists. While many investigations and court cases concluded there was no evidence of voter fraud that would have made a difference in election results, the mantra is still ringing loud and clear.
Given this, there are many individuals and groups who are predicting, anticipating or fearing voter fraud in this important upcoming election. Nothing is more important to the survival of our democracy than the belief ... based on evidence ... that the voters‘ decisions are accurately recorded and reported.
So, who does protect the accuracy of our elections? There are highly effective systems at every level of government.
At the Federal level, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), supports state and local election officials in their efforts to ensure accessible, accurate and secure elections. The EAC provides voting system guidelines, serves as a national clearinghouse for information on election administration, accredits testing laboratories, and certifies voting systems. To learn more, go to
At the state level, election security is the responsibility of the Pennsylvania Department of State. It has a comprehensive website providing extensive information about election security in Pennsylvania, including information about our new, more secure voting systems and our robust post-election audits.
It also provides information on Pennsylvania voting rights and the law, and how to report an election complaint. Videos on this site outline the procedures used to keep our votes secure (and select the Election Security tab). Be patient; there is a lot of information. We need to understand our voting system to know if we can trust it, rather than make assumptions, pro or con.
At the county level, election security is the responsibility of the Board of Elections. The board members are our county commissioners. To obtain information about voting and election security in Bucks County, go to and select the Board of Elections tab.
In addition to the election authorities outlined above, at the federal, state, and county level, ‘We, the People’ must pay attention to what is going on with respect to election security. If we see something, we must say something. If we hear something, we must try to confirm or disavow it. Democracy is at risk. If people of good will do nothing, evil will triumph.
Finally, if someone claims fraud but does not provide evidence, we must not believe. Evidence matters. Unsubstantiated statements sow chaos and doubt.
The League of Women Voters is dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy. A major aspect of defending democracy is fair voting. For information about the League of Women Voters, go to
The League of Women Voters of Bucks County is a non-partisan organization dedicated to providing voter education and services and advocating for issues. We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge and the confidence to participate.
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