March 06, 2025
Paul Kuehnel/York Daily Record/USA TODAY NETWORK
Pennsylvania awarded a $10.6 million contract to Louisiana-based technology company Civix to upgrade the state's election management system used by the public and county boards of election. The project is expected to be finished in time for the 2028 presidential election.
Pennsylvania will soon undertake a major overhaul of its voter registration system and other databases for election administration, including those used for campaign finance and lobbying disclosures, state department officials said Wednesday.
The $10.6 million project will replace the state's electronic voter registration database, which dates back to the early 2000s, with a new election management system that offers a "one-stop shop" for various functions used by the public and administrators, according to the state department.
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A key feature of the new system will be enhancements to reporting results for the battleground state that's been pivotal in recent presidential races. The upgraded system will replace Pennsylvania's election returns website, which provides rolling results from counties. The new site will allow for more customization of results and better integration with county election sites.
The contract was awarded to Louisiana-based technology firm Civix, which is expected to complete the project in phases leading up to the 2028 presidential election. Pennsylvania is one of more than 20 states to work with Civix on upgrading election management systems to make them more secure and easy for the public to use.
“The Shapiro Administration prioritized procuring this contract as part of its continuing commitment to secure elections," Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said in a statement. "A modern, streamlined election management system is a critical tool that our 67 county boards of elections need, and our voters expect."
Pennsylvania's existing Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors system has drawn complaints from local officials who say the database is vulnerable to crashes, especially when demand for its services increases in the run-up to elections, Votebeat reported. The SURE system also is not optimized to handle the emergence of mail ballot applications, which has led to long lines for people who vote early at county elections offices.
The state department said the new system will make it easier to complete voter registration and track the status of mail ballots after they are submitted. A public portal will act as a hub for residents to find election resources, services and public data on candidates and other documentation. Campaign finance reports and lobbying disclosures will be integrated in one place.
Pennsylvania previously awarded a $10.7 million contract to overhaul the SURE system after the 2020 election, but the project was later canceled when the state department determined it would not meet contractual standards or be ready in time for last November's election.
Schmidt said Pennsylvania residents will continue to use the SURE system while Civix completes the project in stages.
“The SURE system has undergone extensive upgrades and security enhancements in the last 22 years,” Schmidt said. “It has served the voters of Pennsylvania well and will continue to do so for a bit longer, until Civix customizes our new system.”
