How officials will keep voters safe in Philly ahead of the election

Here’s how Philadelphia officials are ensuring a safe and secure process for voters on Election Day, from security checks to new and faster voting machines.

PHILADELPHIA – Protecting the election process in Philadelphia is a top priority on Election Day.

Several Philadelphia Police officers are already stationed at the gates of the City of Philadelphia Ballot Processing Center on Roosevelt Blvd.

Guests must have special election security badges, photo ID and pass a security check to enter the secured facility. And this is all a day before the opening of polling stations.

“Anyone who thinks it’s time to play police, take a walk and find out.” said the sharp-spoken Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.

His office heads the Election Day Law Enforcement Task Force, which deals with complaints at the polls, such as voter intimidation and harassment.

“Anyone who thinks it’s time to insult, ridicule, abuse, threaten people. Go and find out. We have handcuffs, we have jail cells, we have a Philly jury, and we have a prison state,” Krasner said.

It’s quiet in the center before the election day.

Workers were showing off new, faster voting machines that they hope can process tens of thousands of ballots an hour.

Here, too, more than 200 members of the media were authorized to observe the vote count in Philly. After polls close, Philadelphia police and sheriff’s deputies will be deployed to transport ballots for processing.

Police say they are ready for anything.

“We’ve had tabletop exercises with both national partners and local partners, and recently with our office emergency managers, we’ve been going over how we would respond if an event were to occur.” This was announced by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.

Polls in Pennsylvania open at 7 a.m. Then workers will also be allowed to begin counting the 179,000 mail-in ballots that have already been cast here in Philadelphia. 1.83 million was returned to the state.

Polls in PA will close at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday.

If you have problems at the polls in Philadelphia on Election Day, you can call the District Attorney’s Task Force Hotline at 215-686-9641 or your county election office.