Aug. 30, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAA court just told Pa. not to reject mail ballots missing handwritten dates. The case isn't over yet.by Carter Walker of VotebeatMail ballots shouldn’t be rejected because they’re missing a handwritten date, a panel of Commonwealth Court judges said. The Republican National Committee is appealing.
Aug. 30, 2024Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PAAbortion, climate change cases await decisions from Pa.’s highest courtsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAWhile the Pennsylvania Supreme Court often has the final say on major policy decisions, it can take months or years for the justices to render their opinions.
Aug. 29, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAThese three court cases could determine how Pennsylvania handles mail ballots this fallby Carter Walker of VotebeatEach election, thousands of ballots are rejected for missing dates or other lapses. Court challenges to the rules may change the way votes are counted this fall.
Aug. 29, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPa. election 2024: Everything you need to know about requesting, filling out, and returning your mail ballotby Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PAPennsylvania has universal no-excuse mail voting. Here’s everything you need to know about the process ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Aug. 27, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPa. county broke law by refusing to tell voters if it rejected their mail ballot, judge saysby Associated PressThousands of mail ballots are rejected in Pennsylvania during each election cycle because of errors like missing signatures.
Aug. 23, 2024Greg Allen / Invision / AP FileRobert F. Kennedy Jr. won’t appear on the ballot in Pennsylvania this Novemberby Sarah Anne Hughes and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe third-party candidate sought to withdraw his name from the commonwealth’s ballot as he endorsed Republican Donald Trump for president.
Aug. 21, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAThird-party presidential hopeful knocked off Pennsylvania ballot, as Cornel West tries to get onby Associated PressPennsylvania Democrats have won legal challenges keeping the left-wing Party for Socialism and Liberation off the state's presidential ballot.
Aug. 20, 2024Ralph LoVuolo / Special to the Butler EagleTrump assassination attempt shows long-standing flaws in Secret Service protectionsby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA; Jessica Lussenhop of ProPublica; and Irina Bucur, Tracy Leturgey and Eddie Trizzino of The Butler EagleA Spotlight PA, ProPublica and Butler Eagle investigation found the process for securing campaign events was susceptible to attack for years.
Aug. 16, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesSome of Trump's 'fake' Pennsylvania electors from 2020 are back againby Carter Walker of VotebeatSome returning electors say they’d be willing to sign an alternate slate for Trump once again if they have doubts about the outcome.
Aug. 15, 2024Greg Allen / Invision / AP FileRobert F. Kennedy Jr.’s court loss in New York could affect ballot challenge in Pennsylvaniaby Associated PressRobert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign is appealing a court decision booting him off New York’s ballot. The outcome may create problems for him in Pennsylvania.
Aug. 9, 2024Gage Skidmore / Flickr Creative CommonsRobert F. Kennedy Jr., third-party candidates face ballot challenges in Pennsylvaniaby Kate Huangpu, Katie Meyer, and Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PAPetitions argue that Kennedy, his running mate, and at least nine third-party candidates should not appear on Pennsylvania’s Nov. 5 general election ballot.
Aug. 8, 2024Screenshot / Butler Township Police DepartmentNew video shows Pa. officer’s tense encounter with Trump shooter before assassination attemptby Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PAThe footage, obtained by Spotlight PA, includes local officers complaining that the Secret Service didn’t heed their warnings.
Aug. 8, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesElections 101: Department of State guidance was a 2020 lightning rod. This is how it works.by Carter Walker of VotebeatThe department issues guidance and directives to clarify procedures and state law. It’s a routine part of election administration the GOP used to question the integrity of Joe Biden’s 2020 win.
Aug. 5, 2024Keith Srakocic / Associated PressFracking in Pa. set to become key election issue as Harris, Trump jockey for votesby Associated PressIn his first appearance in Pa. since Harris became Democrats' presumptive nominee, Trump repeatedly mentioned a position Harris held on fracking as a presidential primary candidate in 2019.
Aug. 2, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAHandwritten dates on mail ballots don’t serve meaningful purpose, attorneys tell Commonwealth Courtby Carter Walker of VotebeatThe ACLU and Department of State argued in Commonwealth Court that election officials don’t use the handwritten dates on ballot envelopes for anything. GOP lawyers say it’s a tool against fraud.
Aug. 2, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PARobert F. Kennedy Jr., other third-party candidates file to run in Pennsylvaniaby Associated PressA third-party candidate's draw in a general election, while usually very small, could help tilt a close race between the major party candidates.
Aug. 1, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAElections 101: How decentralized election administration makes big fraud basically impossibleby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAExperts say claims of stolen elections don’t square with the reality that election administration in the commonwealth is local and decentralized.
July 29, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAHow 9 mistakenly discarded ballots in Luzerne County, Pa., fueled Trump’s 2020 lies about electionsby Carter Walker of VotebeatAn investigation by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog criticizes DOJ leaders for statements about Pennsylvania ballots during the 2020 campaign. Their actions fueled false fraud accusations.
July 21, 2024Associated PressPresident Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race, endorses VP Kamala Harrisby Associated PressVice President Kamala Harris received President Joe Biden’s endorsement after he left the 2024 race.
July 19, 2024Matt Slocum / APFirefighter killed at Trump rally honored with bagpipes, gun salute and bugle tapsby Associated PressAfter a private funeral, hundreds gathered as a parade of firetrucks took Corey Comperatore to Freeport for burial.
July 18, 2024Lauren Aguirre / VotebeatMail ballot envelopes will now be printed with the full year filled outby Carter Walker of VotebeatThe new directive from Pennsylvania’s top election agency is aimed at eliminating a fairly common voter error.
July 18, 2024Eric Gay / AP‘We need to feel the love’: Hundreds mourn former Pa. fire chief killed at Trump rallyby Associated PressTwo others injured at the event have been upgraded to serious condition.
July 15, 2024Yuki Iwamura / Associated PressMinutes after Trump shooting, misinformation started flying. Here are the facts.by Associated PressThe surge in outlandish claims reflects the many questions surrounding the shooting but also the nation’s feverish, polarized politics.
July 10, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PATo certify election results on time, Pa. looks to set new deadlines for legal challengesby Carter Walker of VotebeatThe legislation seeks to prevent delays in finalizing Pennsylvania’s electoral votes, as seen in 2022.
June 21, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PARight-wing group sues over errors in Pennsylvania voter registration recordsby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of VotebeatA right-wing group’s lawsuit claims Pennsylvania is violating federal laws on voting system accuracy. But experts say that argument is based on a misunderstanding of how elections work.
June 13, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAElections 101: Everything you need to know about election recounts in Pennsylvaniaby Carter Walker of VotebeatElection recounts can be triggered in at least two different ways: automatically for close statewide races and by voter-initiated petition.
May 31, 2024Lauren Aguirre / VotebeatRedesigned envelope leads to fewer rejected mail ballots, but a new type of error sticks outby Carter Walker of VotebeatElection officials said Pennsylvania’s redesigned mail ballot envelope was a success, but state data points to a new type of voter mistake affecting rejections.
May 29, 2024Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAWhy a state challenge to Pa.’s mail ballot dating rule may succeed even though a federal one failedby Carter Walker of VotebeatA new lawsuit claims Pennsylvania’s mail ballot dating rule violates the state constitution’s free and equal elections clause. Some of the high court’s justices appear open to the argument.
May 29, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesAttorney general candidates rebuild campaign coffers after pricey primariesby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PADemocrat Eugene DePasquale and Republican Dave Sunday each spent more than $300,000 to fight contested primaries. Both campaigns are now rebuilding their cash reserves.
May 28, 2024Courtesy candidate Facebook pageShe beat the party-backed candidate for Pa. treasurer. Donations are starting to roll in.by Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAIn just three weeks, Erin McClelland raised nearly as much as she did during her entire primary campaign for Pennsylvania treasurer.
Spotlight PA Live Event: How we found the Secret Service flaws that led to the Trump rally shootingAttendNov 21
