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Lancaster Online: We must have faith in our elections and election officials. Threats of violence have no place in democracy

Tuesday October 15, 2024 · 10:00 AM

Rev. Bradley Mattson, a member of Pillars of the Community, penned an op-ed in LancasterOnline about why we must have faith in our election officials and reject violence in our election.

Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with state and local elected officials from Pennsylvania, including Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, the state’s top elections official.

These officials, representing both urban centers and central Pennsylvania, devoted hours to answering questions from local community leaders about the safeguards in our election system. From technical concerns about how votes are counted to broader issues of election integrity, the officials were forthright and transparent, even about their challenges. After extensive discussions, my assessment is that our elections are managed with diligence, precision and — above all — an unwavering commitment to upholding the laws of our state.

While I have every confidence that our election officials are doing their job faithfully, a report from the Brennan Center for Justice reveals a troubling reality: 38% of local election officials report experiencing threats, harassment or abuse in the line of duty. Let that sink in: People tasked with safeguarding our most fundamental democratic process are under attack, not because they are failing, but because they are succeeding in their commitment to free and fair elections.

Read more at Lancaster Online.