Crunch Time Nears In Pennsylvania To Buy New Voting Machines

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — It's getting down to crunch time for Pennsylvania's counties to decide which new voting machines to buy, and how, as Gov. Tom Wolf presses them to switch to machines that leave a paper trail as a safeguard against hacking.

Wolf's administration told county officials this week the Democratic governor wants the state to cover at least half the cost.

He'll have to persuade the Republican-controlled Legislature to help with what counties estimate will be a $125 million tab.

That could leave counties to foot tens of millions of dollars, as Wolf presses them to get the new machines into service next year.

Four in five Pennsylvania voters use machines that lack an auditable paper trail, and Pennsylvania is viewed as one of the most vulnerable states.

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