HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania’s Motor Voter system is operating as intended but requires stronger safeguards after auditors found a case where a non-citizen was allowed to apply to register to vote due to a data entry error.
What This Means for You
- The system generally complies with state and federal voter registration laws
- A data entry error allowed one non-citizen application to be submitted
- Auditors recommend stronger controls to prevent future errors and improve system security
Auditor General Timothy DeFoor released the performance audit this week, reviewing how the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Office of Administration manage voter registration tied to driver’s license and ID transactions.
The Motor Voter process allows eligible residents to register to vote when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license or identification card.
What the Audit Found
The audit reviewed more than 200,000 voter registration applications submitted between January 1 and June 30, 2024, and found the system complied with applicable laws but identified weaknesses in internal controls.
Auditors flagged 58 applications for further review and identified one case where a non-U.S. citizen was able to apply to register to vote.
According to the audit, the issue stemmed from a manual data entry error in PennDOT’s driver records system, where citizenship status was left blank. The system defaulted to treating the individual as a citizen, allowing access to voter registration screens.
Although the error was corrected at the license center, the system did not allow staff to cancel the voter registration application, and it was transmitted to the Department of State.
System Controls and Risks
The audit also identified gaps in system access controls, including the inability of agencies to document which employees had access to the voter registration system or whether access matched job responsibilities.
Auditors found that periodic reviews of user access were not conducted, raising concerns about potential unauthorized system activity.
The Motor Voter system involves multiple systems — including PennDOT’s driver database, a vendor-managed application used at photo centers, and the Department of State’s voter registration system — which exchange data electronically during the process.
Recommendations
The audit outlines eight recommendations, including requiring citizenship status fields to be completed, adding safeguards to prevent erroneous submissions, and improving coordination with the Department of State when errors occur.
It also calls for stronger policies governing employee access to the system, including regular reviews and better recordkeeping.
PennDOT and the Governor’s Office of Administration agreed with some findings, including the need to address the data entry issue, but disputed others related to access controls.
Next Steps
State agencies are expected to evaluate and implement the recommendations, with auditors noting they may follow up to assess whether changes are made.
The full audit report is available at www.paauditor.gov.
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