Pennsylvania creates election security taskforce ahead of 2024 contest

Law enforcement agencies, civil defense officials and election administrators have begun meeting in Pennsylvania to coordinate how they will identify and fight election threats with the presidential contest just eight months away in the battleground state, Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration said on Thursday.

Shapiro created the Pennsylvania election threats taskforce after the state became a magnet for baseless allegations about election fraud and failed lawsuits in an effort to undo Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory there and keep Donald Trump in power.

It will be led by his top election official, the secretary of state, Al Schmidt.

The taskforce’s mission is to design plans to share information and coordinate in the fight against threats to the election process, voter intimidation, and misinformation about voting and elections.

“Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American democracy, and we are working to continue defending Pennsylvanians’ fundamental freedoms and ensure we have a free, fair, safe, secure election this November,” Shapiro said in a statement.

Partners include US attorney’s offices, the state attorney general’s office, county election directors, the US Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania state police, the Pennsylvania emergency management agency and the Pennsylvania national guard.

Pennsylvania is yet again expected to be pivotal in the fall presidential election.

Trump declared his mistrust of Pennsylvania in 2020, saying that “bad things” happen in Philadelphia, and it remains in Trump’s crosshairs.

Trump told supporters in December to “guard the vote” and to “go into” Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta to “watch those votes when they come in”.

Shapiro – who as attorney general played a central