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Rep. Frank Burns filed a relatively routine Right To Know request with Cambria County, PA, that wanted to know how many voting machines the county had and how many ballots were distributed during the 2024 presidential election.
Burns made his request because there were widespread issues with ballot scanners in Cambria County, PA, on election day last November.
The county denied his request on the basis of, “Under the RTKL, a request must seek records, rather than answer questions.”
It’s stunning – but not surprising – to receive such a jackass response from supposed public servants,” Burns said. “Why would you not receive such basic information? Why do they make anyone go down this rabbit hole?
Do they think it will be less work for the county if I ask for all records related to the purchase and maintenance of all voting machines, including their serial numbers and storage locations? And ask them for copies of all invoices and order forms from vendors that printed and supplied election ballots?
Burns also asked for copies of documents and policies related to the testing of voting machines and here is where things get troubling according to the state representative:
His request for copies of policies, directives and results regarding the procedure for testing voting machines in Cambria County – including who performed and was present for any testing, how test results and passing grades were assessed and tabulated, and the number of voting machines that may have failed such testing – was denied because “the records requested do not exist.”
His request for “any and all documents, correspondence (including, but not limited to, emails) or written explanation that determines, specifies or illuminates ‘the nature of the problem’ and why ‘the mistake was not able to be discovered until voting commenced,’ as attributed to (county solicitor Ronald) Repak’s statement in the Altoona Mirror” – and his request for, “a tally of how many ballots cast in Cambria County were unable to be scanned on Election Day of Nov. 5, 2024, and a separate tally of how many ballots were able to be scanned successfully on Election Day of Nov. 5,2024” – were both denied on grounds that “the RTKL exempts from disclosure records of an agency ‘relating to a noncriminal investigation … that, if disclosed, would (r)eveal the institution, progress or result of an agency investigation.’
The Pennsylvania Department of State has the power to investigate elections in each county but does not have subpoena power over the counties.
Burns has to appeal the county’s rejection to the State Office of Open Records.
None of this should be necessary.
Donald Trump won almost 70% of the vote in Cambria County.
If Republicans are as concerned about election integrity and security as they have claimed to be for years, they should welcome the request of Rep. Burns.
The fact that the vital records don’t exist is a massively unsettling admission.
There are two possibilities. Either county employees didn’t want to do the work to comply with the request, so they blew Burns off, or there are serious problems with elections in Cambria County.
Data analysts have called for an investigation into the 2024 election results in Pennsylvania, and Cambria County’s lack of compliance does absolutely nothing to reassure Pennsylvanians about the integrity of the state’s elections.
What do you think about Cambria County’s response to Rep. Burns? Share your thoughts in the comments below.