Voting System Security

York County institutes a wide range of physical and cybersecurity procedures and protocols to ensure the integrity of our voting systems. Chain of custody is maintained at the county level throughout the entire election cycle. Access to election equipment and systems is multifaceted and highly controlled by county staff. Equipment storage areas and central tally systems are protected and can only be accessed by county elections staff who must remain present at all times when observers, the public, or vendors are present.

All voting systems are physically disconnected (air gapped) from any external connections and all the components are stand-alone (no internet or WiFi connections). Please remember that voting equipment and voter registration databases are two separate systems and do not communicate or connect in any way.

In the election process, the voting system (equipment) comprises of the hardware and software used to collect and tally votes, including the voting machines used for in-person voting, the scanners used to tabulate mail-in ballots, and the election management system that creates the ballots, tallies and reports the results.

The voter registration database is a system maintained by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that is used for administrative purposes only. For example, this database contains the list of registered voters, precinct and district information, mail-in ballots issued and received, polling place information, as well as other information used to administer an election. The Voter Registration System does not collect any election results and is not connected to the voting system in any way. Voter information contained in this database is only that a voter has appeared to vote in-person or by mail-in ballot, not for whom a person voted. Who a person voted for is always confidential to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.