A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Butler County Election Department on October 30, 2024. The request, filed by us at Butler County News, sought detailed information about the pre-election testing of voting machines.
The records requested under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law included a comprehensive report in PDF format outlining the test results for each voting machine used in the county. The specific details requested in the report were the test date, machine manufacturer, machine model number, and whether each machine passed or failed its pre-election test.
As a media organization dedicated to transparency and accountability in local government affairs, we believe that access to such records is crucial. This information will allow us to provide our readers with accurate and comprehensive coverage of election-related processes and machinery.
We have also asserted our eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We await a response from the Butler County Election Department regarding this request.
