PublicSource | News for a better Pittsburgh (https://www.publicsource.org/category/money-and-politics/)
The county recently signed a $20 million deal for a new voting system that largely relies on hand-marked paper ballots to comply with a Pennsylvania lawsuit settlement requiring a paper trail ahead of the primary election.
Stories about how court fines and fees deepen poverty and entangle people in the legal system.
Update (1/24/2020): The Allegheny County Board of Elections will meet at 2 p.m. on Feb. 11 to discuss the rollout of new voting machines and training for poll workers for the April 28 primary election. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held in Conference Room 1 in the Allegheny County Courthouse at 436 Grant St. Allegheny County voters who head to the polls in three months for the primary election will cast their votes on a new $13.4 million system that largely relies on hand-marked paper ballots.
The change from electronic machines, in place since 2006, includes an additional $6.6 million for software, updates and training. Many security experts consider paper ballots to be more secure because they create a paper trail and voters don’t have to rely on a computer to accurately reflect their votes.
“Any major market shift will undo the progress we’ve made,” Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said.
The average annual increase since 2012 is 2.6%, but not all departments have kept pace.
Even though he didn’t realize his remarks would spark such an intense reaction, Peduto is adamant that he did the right thing and has begun to put together a plan for how to move forward. He has been meeting with leaders who were upset by his stance and is hoping to work with them to convene a forum where advocates for the petrochemical industry can sit down with other stakeholders in the city and region.
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. defended his seat Tuesday over political newcomer and public defender Lisa G. Middleman.
After nearly 13 years of being represented by Councilwoman Darlene Harris, the North Side has a new City Council representative. Spring Hill’s Bobby Wilson, 36, won the District 1 City Council seat with 60% of the vote in Tuesday’s election (3,554 votes as of 10:32 p.m.)
Wilson defeated independent candidates Chris Rosselot and Malcolm Jarrett. “What this means is a new progressive North Side,” Wilson said in his victory speech Tuesday evening. ”We continue to really change the face of how we’re going to collaborate with people, whether it’s City Council or the mayor.”
Wilson credited voters for supporting his vision for the district.“We’re going to get more for us. And it’s because of the voters of District 1 that came out and voted for me, this campaign, that we’re going to be able to do that.”
Wilson, a medical researcher at the University of Pittsburgh and father of three, said in an interview before Election Day that his top priority for the North Side is affordable housing.
Burgess was first elected to City Council in 2007. His district includes East Hills, Garfield, Homewood, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, North Point Breeze, part of East Liberty and Friendship.
Pittsburgh voters on Tuesday supported a ballot amendment that will create a real estate tax to pay for park improvements.
