Live election 2024 updates in the Philadelphia region and the focus on Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt asked people to remain vigilant and not let disinformation prevent them from voting on Election Day.

During a news conference on Monday, Schmidt also said every voter has a right to cast a ballot without harassment, intimidation or discrimination.

If you experience any of those issues, Schmidt urges you to report it to the Pa. Dept. of State's voter hotline at 1-877-VOTES-PA.

"I will make two commitments to you today. First, that Pennsylvania's election will be free fair, safe and secure," Schmidt said. "Second, all registered voters will have the opportunity to make their voice heard."

Schmidt also said while news organizations may make projections about who won Pennsylvania, the state's votes will not all be counted on election night.

The FBI Field Office in Philadelphia said it has an election command post in operation for Election Day.

The command post will enable the FBI to streamline communication and ensure the safety and security of the election and the public, the bureau said.

"We gather and analyze intelligence to determine whether individuals might be motivated to take violent action for any reason, including due to concerns about the election," the FBI said in a news release.

The FBI will be working with local law enforcement partners.

"We encourage members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement," the FBI statement continues.

Other FBI field offices across the country will also have election command posts.

Pennsylvania election officials take a variety of measures to secure ballots when they are transported from polling places to county facilities.

For instance, in Philadelphia, local police officers collect ballots from polling places after the polls close on Election Day.

However, the exact protocols vary by county.

In Berks County, poll workers will transport ballots in sealed boxes back to the county elections office, where they will be locked in a secure room, according to Stephanie Nojiri, assistant director of elections for the county located east of Harrisburg.

Poll workers and county election officials also utilize chain of custody paperwork to document the transfer of ballots as they are moved from polling places to secure county facilities.

Sheriff's deputies in Berks County monitor the county's three drop boxes during the day, according to Nojiri. When county elections officials come to empty the drop boxes, which are secured by four locks, they unlock two of the locks, while the sheriff's deputies unlock the other two.

Officials remove the ballots, count them, record the number of ballots on a custody sheet, and put the ballots in a sealed box before they transported back to the county's processing center.

Philadelphia has 34 ballot drop boxes, which are emptied daily and twice on Election Day by election workers, according to Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein. The bags used for transporting ballots from drop boxes are also sealed, and workers who are returning these ballots complete and sign a chain of custody form.

"The transportation of ballots is done in a secure, controlled manner, and the public should have confidence in the integrity of that ballot collection process," Bluestein said.

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Millions of people have cast their ballots without incident so far this election. Though in some reported cases there have been issues with what voters are wearing to the polls.

Every state has restrictions on electioneering in some form near polling sites, "such as limiting the display of signs, handing out campaign literature or soliciting votes within a pre-determined distance (typically 50 to 200 feet) of a polling place," according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

Nearly half of states have statutes restricting what you can wear to vote, according to NCSL, including Delaware and New Jersey. However, Pennsylvania does not.

The restrictions on political apparel could extend to political references beyond the candidates or issues on the ballot.

Penalties for violating electioneering laws could include fines or imprisonment, though people are typically asked to remove or cover up any political items in order to vote.

READ MORE: HERE