As Election Day approaches, speculation about voter fraud, rejection of mailed ballots, government monitors or troops at the polls, and other concerns can leave voters uncertain and anxious about election security and integrity. Let’s look at some of these issues.
Voter fraud: Intentional voter fraud is very rare, according to several studies covering many years. The conservative Heritage Foundation database covering the years 1982-2025 cites a total of 45 verified fraudulent votes cast in Pennsylvania, among millions cast in our state during that period. From 2000 to 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s database cites 1200 to 1400 verified cases of fraud among more than 1.2 billion votes cast nationwide in federal elections—a fraction of 1%. Ways to commit voter fraud are limited. Pennsylvania’s voter registration and vote tabulation systems catch such anomalies as duplicate mail ballots sent or ballots cast in person by noncitizens, citizens who changed address or voted in more than one location, and citizens using names of deceased people.
Noncitizens voting: Most votes cast by noncitizens are isolated instances, not found to be part of an organized effort to illegally register them and without a partisan pattern. Most of these votes arise from individuals confused about rules for registration and voting or about their legal status to vote. Allegations of organized campaigns to get noncitizens to the polls are being vigorously investigated In a nationwide crackdown, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it has examined over 100 million voter registration records, seeking illegal voters. Yet very few people have been prosecuted for registering or voting illegally, and at least one case has been dismissed in federal court because the federal law under which the case was brought is deemed unconstitutional.
Government monitors at the polls: Concerns about voter intimidation are growing with reports that federal poll monitors and possibly troops will be sent to polling places. Under Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has used election monitors to assess compliance with federal voting rights laws. This year more than 1000 election monitors will go to locations across the United States. In Pennsylvania, federal monitors will be sent to Allegheny, Lehigh, Luzerne, and Philadelphia counties. Federal monitors must comply with local, state, and federal election laws. Pennsylvania election law does not allow federal monitors inside polling places, unlike poll monitors placed by political parties and organizations such as LWV. Voters observing intimidation at the polls should immediately notify the election workers inside polling places.
Rejection of mailed ballots: Rejections of mailed ballots rose significantly in rural counties across the nation after USPS made cost-cutting changes in mail service. First-class mail processing is now consolidated at larger regional plants instead of hubs closer to local post offices. Daily mail pickups are reduced in rural regions. These changes have added a day or more to delivery time and also changed the timing of post-marking—directly affecting ballot rejection rates.
Read more about these issues:
Duplicate Ballots Accidenatlly Sent in Westmoreland County
A Halt to Noncitizen Voting Investigation in PA and other States
Election Day Polling Monitors In Philadelphia
Ballot Rejections in Rural Counties After USPS Reduced Mail Service
Listen for LWVIC radio ads celebrating America’s 250th year on all four Renda stations this month. Created and recorded by our board members, the message will air a total of 160 times through July. If you don’t catch them on the radio, you can hear the message by clicking on the red star above, or by clicking here.
Social media has changed the way many of us get information, with not always trustworthy results. News spreads more quickly, but the fact checking practiced by traditional news media happens less consistently, if at all, for information available online. A.I., the latest innovation in a fragmenting marketplace of ideas, adds risks as well as ease of access for fact-finders and truth-seekers.
Guest speakers Pat Heilman and David Loomis, retired IUP journalism and mass-media professors, will discuss ways to navigate the increasingly demanding information marketplace. See below for more information.
This list of Factchecking sites arose from the May 30, 2026 Annual Meeting. Guest presenters Dr. Pat Heilman and Dr. David Loomis, both retired IUP journalism faculty, gave a very enlightening and informative talk. Find a summary of the presentation here.
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Plans to redevelop the Homer City Power Plant property to a data center complex powered by natural gas have raised hopes and concerns about the potential impacts in Indiana County. The webinar, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Indiana County, examines different perspectives on the economic, environmental, and societal effects of a data center in our midst. The webinar was held on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026, via Zoom. The public was invited & registration was required.
The featured presenter was attorney Andrew Bockis, an environmental and energy lawyer at Saul Ewing LLP, Harrisburg. Mr. Bockis helps clients in a variety of industries obtain environmental permits for their projects, including renewable energy facilities, oil and gas infrastructure, and industrial warehouses including data centers. In the webinar, Mr. Bockis presented an overview of how power is provided to our region, including the role of PJM as grid manager. He explained why Pennsylvania is one of the favored locations for data centers and described the legal framework and environmental permitting process for data centers in the Commonwealth. He touched upon recent efforts and proposals to address energy costs and other issues associated with data centers. There were opportunities to submit questions and discussion followed.
Click here for more information.
On February 17, 2024, LWVIC celebrated 50 years as a local League with a luncheon and special program including a narrated slide show, below, highlighting the history of the League of Women Voters as well as our local League. Welcoming remarks were given by Ms. Maria Delgado-Santana, President, League of Women Voters of PA (LWVPA). Dr. Amy Widestrom, Executive Director, LWVPA, gave the Keynote Address, speaking about the future of the League. Click here to view the Commemorative Program.
Special thanks to Robert B. Meyers for the making of the video slide presentation, Donna Cashdollar for designing the slides and for the voices of Adriana Guth-Borowski, Ellen Chinn, Sandy Whitson, Vicki Stelma, Cindy Rogers & Lizanne Porter.
A citation from the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was awarded to the Indiana County Chapter of the League of Women Voters by Rep. Jim Struzzi at a ceremony in March 2024. The citation “honored [LWVIC] on the momentous occasion of its fiftieth anniversary” in recognition of “organizations which contribute to the benefit of their communities and ultimately to all citizens of the Commonwealth”. Nine longtime members were in attendance at the ceremony including three charter members!
Representatives of LWVIC attended the 2023 LWVPA Biennial Convention in Harrisburg from June 16-18
Pictured L to R: Lizanne Porter; Ellen Chinn, treasurer; Susan Boser; Cindy Rogers, program vice president; and Vicki Stelma
The League of Women Voters of Indiana County was recently recognized in Harrisburg for their work, winning the Democracy Defender Award.
The Democracy Defender Award is a competitive, new award, presented by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania to a county League in recognition of exceptional commitment to voter services in their community.
The Democracy Defender Award was presented to the LWVIC for their work in multiple ways. The LWVIC expanded voter registration events for citizens living in rural communities through community festivals, public
libraries, high schools and the university. In addition, they encouraged participation of diverse citizens in a number of informational initiatives including print media such as The Indiana Gazette, radio announcements and interviews with Renda Broadcasting WDAD, and digital media at Indiana University of Pennsylvania using screens in the Hadley Union Building and on exercise equipment there.
The award was presented at the Pennsylvania League’s biennial convention on June 17 in Harrisburg. On behalf of the LWVIC, Cindy Rogers received the award from Meg Pierce, executive director of the Pennsylvania League. Also present were LWVIC members Ellen Chinn, Vicki Stelma, Lizanne Porter and Susan Boser.
In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too.
The PVSA has continued under each administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation. Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers. https://presidentialserviceawards.gov/about
Cindy Rogers was selected as the 2023 recipient of the award by friends of White’s Woods. Representatives from many of the organizations for which Cindy volunteers celebrated at a luncheon at Benjamin’s restaurant in downtown Indiana.
Cindy is the Board President and founder of Evergreen Conservancy, a Director of the Indiana County Conservation District, on the Boards of the Tourist Bureau and Friends of Yellow Creek State Park, a contributing member of Friends of Whites Woods, Plant Patrol, and Friends of the Indiana County Parks, as well a volunteer for Aging Services & The Chevy Chase Community Center. She assists with the organization of the Northern Appalachian Folk Festival and is active member of the Environmental Issues Committee of the League of Women Voters, both at the local and state level, as well as Administrative Vice President of the local League. Congratulations, Cindy, and thank you for your all you do!
This year, Marie Olson won for the individual award and the Blacklick Creek Watershed Association won for the group award. The awards were presented on May 20 at the LWVIC Annual Membership meeting. Congratulations to our winners!
Susan Welsh (chair of LWVIC’s Child Advocacy Committee on Education), Kay Smith (chair of Voter Services Committee), and Susan Boser (LWVIC’s representative to LWVPA’s Government Policy Committee) have been working together to provide sources of information on firearm law, firearm deaths, and firearms safety and control. We are not against responsible firearm ownership but are for a revaluing of public safety and public health in the face of unacceptably escalating gun deaths, gun suicides, and mass shootings.
Our first step in responding to local concerns about escalating firearm violence was to seek education about gun laws and their enforcement in Pennsylvania.
On July 20, 2022, State Trooper Clifford Greenfield gave a ZOOM presentation sponsored by the Indiana League. His topic was “Current Gun Laws in Pennsylvania.” Trooper Greenfield is the public information officer and community services officer for Troop A. Links to the sources he referenced in his presentation are listed here:
This portion of our site will expand as LWVIC expands its research into public health & safety, public policy, relevant legislation, and advocacy on this issue.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
League of Women Voters of Indiana County (LWVIC)
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (LWVPA)
League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS)
INFORMATION:
ADVOCACY:
Local: Proposed – Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance
State
Federal
PA County Commissioners Urge Election Reform
https://www.wtae.com/article/pa-county-commissioners-urge-election-reform/35246542
From 1920 to 2022 and beyond...
League of Women Voters has a 102-year history of striving to make democracy work for all citizens. Its roots are in the suffragist movement, but it quickly moved from the enfranchisement of women to take on the issues of the day – always in a non-partisan framework supported by volunteers.
