News & Updates

News from the states in which Pillars is involved, and updates on Pillars events.
National

NPR: Voting officials are leaving their jobs at the highest rate in decades

NPR’s Miles Parks reported on how an unprecedented rate of local elections workers are changing jobs amidst political pressure, deepening a recruitment problem that states and counties face…
September 19, 2025
Wisconsin

Votebeat: Clerks say an obsolete Wisconsin law creates needless work — and a threat to ballot secrecy

Votebeat’s Alexander Shur wrote about how Wisconsin election officials often struggle to fulfill public record requests because of needing to redact an outdated number that appears on the…
September 19, 2025
Wisconsin

CBS 58 News Milwaukee: New bills propose drop box rules, counting absentee ballots a day early

Katheryn Merck of CBS 58 News Milwaukee covered a proposed bill in the Wisconsin legislature that would give election officials more time to count ballots while also placing…
September 19, 2025
Texas

KHOU11: Harris County begins testing equipment ahead of the Nov. 4 general election – Here’s what voters need to know

KHOU11’s Troy Kless wrote about Harris County officials’ efforts to prepare for the November local elections in the U.S.’ third largest county. Preparations for the upcoming…
September 19, 2025
Texas

Votebeat: Texas is about to expand early voting. Here’s what that means for voters and counties.

Votebeat’s Natalie Contreras wrote about Texas’ new early voting schedule, which eliminated a three-day break in early in-person voting before election day. “Texans will have a…
September 19, 2025
Pennsylvania

2822 News: New voting machines could improve Luzerne County election process

2822 News’ Avery Nape wrote about preparations underway in an important Pennsylvania county for the 2026 elections and beyond, with election officials working to address issues that came…
September 19, 2025
Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pa. primary elections “relatively calm and successful,” top election official says

John Cole wrote for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star about the success of Pennsylvania’s May 2025 primaries. “One hour after polls closed Tuesday, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth…
September 19, 2025
Georgia

Atlanta Journal Constitution: With midterms looming, Georgia fails to make election security upgrades

AJC’s Mark Niesse reported the bipartisan concerns among election officials over the cyber safety of election equipment. “This was supposed to be the year Georgia got…
September 19, 2025
Georgia

AP: Georgia appeals court upholds ruling saying election officials must certify results

The AP’s Kate Brumback reported on the unanimous decision by Georgia’s Court of Appeals upholding a previous judge’s ruling that county election officials cannot refuse to certify election…
September 19, 2025
Arizona

Arizona PBS: Adrian Fontes on hacking of website, cybersecurity measures

PBS sat down with Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to discuss the recent suspected state-sponsored attack on the Secretary of State’s website. On June 23,…
September 19, 2025