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

From the moment he arrived in Milwaukee, after being named former President Donald Trump's running mate, it was clear that one of Sen. JD Vance's primary roles was to help deliver battleground Pennsylvania for the former president.

The day Vance was announced as Trump's vice presidential pick in July, Trump told ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl that he was "going to leave [Vance] in Pennsylvania."

Pennsylvania's importance in this election can't be overstated -- it's a crucial swing state with 19 coveted electoral votes where Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are neck and neck. Whoever wins the state is very likely win the presidential election. During the 2020 election, Pennsylvania was the state that sealed the presidency for President Joe Biden.

Click here to read more about Vance's efforts in 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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