Pennsylvania counties are spending millions of dollars to prevent an election nightmare by counting

[RandySF]

Running elections isn’t cheap. Running a presidential election in a swing state during a global pandemic while an unprecedented flood of mail ballots threatens the possibility that the actual results won’t be known for days? That’s expensive.

First, Pennsylvania counties bought new equipment because a new law allows any voter to vote by mail.

Then they bought more before the June 2 primary, as coronavirus fears of in-person voting fueled a massive surge in mail ballots, far beyond what was expected.

Now, in the months since, counties have scrambled to buy much more equipment, spending millions of dollars to prepare for a huge volume of ballots and prevent a long, drawn-out vote-counting process.



https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/counting-pennsylvania-mail-ballots-equipment-20200919.html

[Bev54]

1. They can speed up the process by opening to the inner envelope and

verify signatures weeks ahead but not open the actual ballot. That is what is done in most of the states that have mail in voting primarily. That way on closing of the election the ballots are ready to be counted, which can be done quickly.

[Journeyman]

2. Does the PA ballot get returned in a double envelope? With the signature on the inside envelope?...

In California, there's only one envelope and the signature is written on the back.

Just curious how different states handle their procedures.

[Bev54]

3. I am not sure, just know in several states that is how

the ballot comes, when they require signature verification.