Pennsylvania to spend $10 million on new voter registration system

Pennsylvania is spending more than $10 million to replace its electronic voter registration database with an election management system that will also provide election night results and handle campaign finance filings and lobbyist registration.

Secretary of State Al Schmidt announced Wednesday the Civix system should be fully in use by the time of the next presidential election in 2028, replacing the existing Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors, or SURE system.

Election management is closely watched in Pennsylvania, a perennial swing state where the two major parties are constantly seeking an edge in state and national contests.

State officials say the Civix system’s functions for public use will provide information about voter registration, coming elections and voting data.

The SURE system, used by counties to record, update and verify voter registration information, has been in place since 2003 and is widely considered to be outdated.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not reliable,” said Schmidt, who compared using the existing system to the frustrations of having a 20-year-old phone. “It is safe and secure. We are always having to make upgrades.”

It’s not clear how much the Civix software will also require hardware changes, Schmidt said.

“As the project develops, it will become more clear the extent to which new hardware is needed,” he said.

Forrest Lehman, who has served as Lycoming County’s elections director for about a decade, said there is a widespread feeling among county elections officials that the SURE system is in need of replacement.

“We all want this to succeed,” Lehman said. “We want a new voter registration system that can move this state and the counties that use it into the 21st century.”