Gov. Wolf: Pennsylvania prepared for Nov. 3 election

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday the state is ready for Election Day.

“Pennsylvania is prepared. We are protected for this election and voters can cast their ballots with confidence. We are going to have a fair election where everyone can vote without interference,” Wolf said.

State election officials said voter registration has reached record numbers of more than 9 million. As of Thursday morning, 2.1 million mail-in ballots have been returned to county election offices. More than 3 million mail-in ballots were requested by Pennsylvania voters for Tuesday’s election.

The large numbers of ballots submitted by mail means that lines at the polls are expected to be shorter than in past years, the governor said.

Meanwhile, Wolf said the state is ready for any unrest related to the challenges to the validity of election results.

“We have been preparing for it,” Wolf said. “We are doing everything we can to make sure we have a free and fair election in Pennsylvania.”

State election officials said there are still ongoing issues in some counties with regard to voters receiving mail-in ballots, including Butler County, where officials contend delays were caused by the U.S. Postal Service.

Department of State Secretary Kathy Boockvar said Butler County elections officials been instructed to halt checks of voter identifications and signatures upon return of mail-in ballots.

“We sent them a communication,” Boockvar said. “We’re making it very clear that that is not authorized.”

She said it was permitted to ask a voter if they are delivering their own ballot or whether they are an authorized agent delivering a ballot from another voter.