The closures and waiver process were met with a great deal of criticism by business owners and Republican legislators who complained the process was fraught with inequities.
By Merideth Bucher/WITF Critics say an election-auditing bureau is duplicative, given the legal requirements for each county and the state to review election results for accuracy and investigate any discrepancies.
Because Timothy DeFoor may be asked to investigate the 2020 election, his office said he “must maintain his independence.”
In separate ceremonies at sites around Harrisburg, the attorney general, auditor general and treasurer took their oaths of office.
Pennsylvania voters are returning at least 17 incumbent members to Congress with one race undecided, and have elected the first Republican auditor general in more than two decades.
The Republican controller in Dauphin County outpaced Democrat Nina Ahmad for the position of state Auditor General.
The row officers have built-in watchdog duties that can gum up a governor’s agenda.
Pennsylvania’s two major political parties have nominated candidates of color for state auditor general.
