Pennsylvania lawmakers sound alarm on double voting as they urge Gov. Shapiro to take action

(The Center Square) – Casting ballots in two different states carries a felony conviction, but lawmakers in Pennsylvania say few voters know about the consequences.And while the crime is “rare,” according to the Department of State, it still happens.Rep.Jamie Flick, R-Williamsport, said Tuesday he’s compiled data that confirms “various instances” of voters casting ballots in Pennsylvania and Ohio.“This report involves millions of voting records, and analyzing this data takes time to ensure accuracy,” said Flick, who describes himself as a software engineer and data analyst by trade.

“From where we stand today, we can confirm that double voting occurred in previous national elections, but we are committed to thoroughly finalizing this report.”The Center Square’s attempt to contact Flick’s office for a copy of the findings was unsuccesful, though the legislator himself said the data is publicly available, albeit hard to parse.“The findings underscore the need for voter identification on a national level, and we should begin by strengthening these measures right here at home,” Flick said.Republican Leader Rep.Bryan Cutler, R-Quarryville, joined Flick and other House colleagues to promote a memorandum of understanding between the Shapiro administration to share voter registration and participation data with the public more clearly as part of an awareness campaign.“Given recent news, it is clear Pennsylvanians need to be better informed about double voting, its legal consequences, and what to do to ensure they are casting only one ballot in each election,” he said.Matt Heckel, spokesman for the Department of State, told The Center Square on Thursday that Pennsylvania’s 67 counties maintain voter rolls and do so well.“Double voting is a crime and is extremely rare,” he said.

“The Department takes any instances of this rare occurrence very seriously and assists in referring to the appropriate investigatory agencies.”And while ...