Pennsylvania Dept. of State Issues Directive Barring Unauthorized Access to Voting Systems; Federal Access Attempts Reported

Pennsylvania Department of State (Directive issued April 27, 2026)

Five-page directive prohibits county officials from allowing any outside party to physically access voting systems or copy voting system software, source code, or proprietary data. Directive language appears to anticipate potential federal requests. Context: Fulton County, PA previously granted unauthorized access to machines during 2020 post-election period, resulting in the state ordering machine replacement. Reports indicate federal officials have sought voting system access in other states during this period.

Story appears primarily in Pennsylvania regional outlets; national right-leaning outlet coverage not found