Go inside the Philadelphia warehouse that will process mail-in ballots on Election Day
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground state that could determine the presidential election, so processing ballots in an officiate manner is critical.
On Friday, election officials gave Action News a tour of the facility to show us how ballots are processed.
"We know the eyes of the world will be on us and we can't do this without you," said Philadelphia City Commissioner Seth Bluestein. "We are going to run the safest, most secure election in history."
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Mail-in ballots are brought to the election warehouse in Northeast Philadelphia. They're then sorted by ward and division and stored under lock and key.
Beginning at 7 a.m. on Election Day, the ballots undergo a review for proper signature and date. Return and secrecy envelopes are then sliced open, and then ballots are flattened, scanned and recorded.
Unlike the 2020 presidential election, officials stress the processing of mail-in ballots will be faster.
"Counties, including Philadelphia and others, have acquired additional equipment that will assist in processing ballots, whether it's sorting, time stamping, opening the envelopes or anything else," said Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt.
Any damaged ballots are duplicated, scanned and recreated.
If a ballot can't be scanned or interpreted they are adjudicated and reviewed by civil servants for proper tabulation.
Unlike many other states, Pennsylvania does not allow the processing of mail-in ballots until Election Day.
Some have called election laws in the commonwealth archaic.
"That is why we as county commissioners and county commissioners throughout the state have been begging the legislation for common sense reform to allow us to start sooner," said Philadelphia Commissioner Lisa Deeley.
During the pandemic in 2020, roughly 375,000 mail-in ballots were processed in Philadelphia. Officials expect 1/3 less of that number for the 2024 election.
