Carter Walker

Did you know Spotlight PA is a nonprofit? Learn more about our nonpartisan journalism »

Stories by Carter Walker

Lehigh County voter registration workers sort mail ballots on Nov. 7, 2023, in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Federal ruling could lead Pa. counties to reject 1000s of undated mail ballots

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

March 28, 2024

Electors filled out their ballots on Dec. 14, 2020, during the 59th Pennsylvania Electoral College meeting in Harrisburg.

Recount petitions could impede Pa.’s efforts to certify 2024 election by new federal deadline

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

March 28, 2024

The Philadelphia City Commissioners at a meeting in early 2024.

Philadelphia voting commission shakeup creates bad optics during big election year

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

March 13, 2024

People participate in the Pennsylvania state House primary ballot lottery at the Keystone Building in Harrisburg.

Ballot order is critical for candidates. In Pa., it’s determined by luck.

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 29, 2024

An election worker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania examines an ExpressVoteXL voting machine during the 2022 primary.

Elections 101: Everything you need to know about Pa.'s voting machines, how the state keeps them safe, and more

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 27, 2024

A poll worker holds voting stickers at Central Elementary School in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

A deficit of experienced voting officials could mean trouble for Pa.’s 2024 election

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 21, 2024

An illustration of Heather Honey.

This Pa. activist is the source of false and flawed election claims gaining traction across the country

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 12, 2024

Workers sort mail ballots at Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, Pennsylvania on Nov. 7, 2023.

Administrative election errors rise as Pa. counties struggle to keep voting officials

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 19, 2023

A “vote” sign outside of a polling place.

Shapiro administration cancels $10.7 million contract for Pa. voter roll system upgrade

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 15, 2023

Workers sort mail ballots on Nov. 7, 2023, at Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Court ruling on undated ballots brings confusion as Pa. counties certify November election results

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 30, 2023

Lehigh County voter registration worker Ellen Ortt sorts mail ballots on Election Day 2023 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Pa. counties must accept undated, incorrectly dated mail ballots, federal court rules

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 21, 2023

John "Jay" Schneider, 76, stands for a portrait at the Caln Township building in Thorndale, PA., on October 30, 2023.

'Hectic from the get-go': How a new polling place chief in Pennsylvania navigated his first election

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 9, 2023

Members of the community gather on Election Day 2023 at in Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

Voting machines in Northampton County printed ballots with errors in two judicial races

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 7, 2023

Election worker John "Jay" Schneider, 76, sits for a portrait at his Downingtown Pa. home on Monday, October 30, 2023.

Working the polls cleared up Jay Schneider’s 2020 suspicions. Now he’s taking charge as a judge of elections.

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 1, 2023

Pennsylvania’s Election Code still states that polling places need to have lanterns or a proper substitute.

Pennsylvania’s voting law is filled with obsolete provisions, troublesome conflicts

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 31, 2023

A provision of PA's Election Code applies to lever-action voting machines that haven’t been used in nearly two decades.

Pa.’s Election Code is badly outdated. That could have serious consequences in 2024.

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 26, 2023

Pennsylvania voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Pennsylvania’s 2024 presidential primary date unlikely to change due to legislative impasse

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 13, 2023

A sign that reads House of Representatives inside the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.

House approves bill to move Pa.’s 2024 primary but rejects voter ID expansion, other election reforms

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 5, 2023

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Automatic voter registration in Pa. draws GOP lawsuit threats, but little action

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 4, 2023

The sun sets over Pennsylvania as voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Expanded voter ID requirements are back on the table in Pennsylvania

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA, Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA, and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Oct. 3, 2023

Mail ballots are sorted and counted by workers on Election Day in Northampton County.

Judge tells Delaware County to accept in-person votes from residents whose mail ballots were rejected

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Sept. 21, 2023

A voter holds an “I Voted” sticker Nov. 8, 2022, at Memorial Hall in Jim Thorpe Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

Pa. will now prompt people to register to vote when they get a driver’s license

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Sept. 19, 2023

Pennsylvania voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Bill to move Pa.’s spring primary earlier would put time crunch on election officials

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Aug. 31, 2023

An election worker in Philadelphia with an ExpressVoteXL voting machine during the 2022 primary.

Pa. will track voting machine malfunctions under new settlement with election security groups

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Aug. 18, 2023

An elector for President Joe Biden fills out their ballot in Harrisburg in December 2020.

Why Trump’s ‘fake electors’ in Pennsylvania are likely to avoid prosecution

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

July 31, 2023

A voting sign is seen in Pennsylvania on Election Day in November 2022.

How Pa. counties spent the first-ever election grants from the state

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

July 28, 2023

Pennsylvania voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Philadelphia’s communities of color disproportionately affected when mail ballots are rejected over small errors

by Carter Walker of Votebeat and Laura Benshoff for Votebeat

June 27, 2023

Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt holds a press conference at the Capitol in Harrisburg.

Trump target Al Schmidt gets crucial approval as he moves closer to becoming Pa.’s top election official

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

June 27, 2023

Pennsylvania voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Inexperience and staff turnover led to Luzerne County’s 2022 election debacle, investigation finds

by Carter Walker for Votebeat

June 16, 2023

Voters at Nether Providence Elementary polling location in Delaware County, Pennsylvania on Election Day 2020.

This Pa. county rejected voters’ flawed mail ballots. Then it refused to count their in-person votes.

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

June 8, 2023

A voting sign sits outside Allentown Public Library in Pennsylvania on the day of the November 2022 general election.

18 Pa. candidates who spread election misinformation are poised to oversee local voting in 2024

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

May 26, 2023

Marcie Strachko, Columbia County’s human resources director, processes mail ballots during the 2023 municipal primary.

How one northeast Pennsylvania county runs drama-free elections with just 2 people on staff

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

May 18, 2023

The sun sets over Pennsylvania as voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.

Candidates running for key Pa. election posts wrongly believe 2020 presidential race was stolen

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

May 9, 2023

A worker preparing 2022 ballots in Philadelphia. A new bill would give counties more time to prep these ballots.

Bill allowing counties to process mail ballots early clears first hurdle in Pa. House

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

April 25, 2023

Mail ballots are sorted and counted in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania court decision does little to clear up confusion over fixing mail ballots

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

March 28, 2023

PA Senator Cris Dush is best known for leading an attempt to perform an Arizona-style investigation of the 2020 election.

Key Pa. senator’s record has Democrats, voting advocates worried passing election reform will be difficult

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

March 9, 2023

Two Commonwealth Court judges issued seemingly conflicting rulings.

Pa. judges offer conflicting opinions on whether fraud evidence is needed for recount requests

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 28, 2023

PA officials were asked about policies regarding drop boxes and mail ballots that had disqualifying technical errors.

Unequal election policies disenfranchised Pennsylvania voters in 2022

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 21, 2023

Luzerne County experienced a ballot paper shortage on Election Day in November 2022.

Why election problems continue to plague this northeast Pa. county

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 15, 2023

The inquiry was motivated by reaction to former President Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of fraud.

Court won’t force Pa. to release voter info for 2020 election inquiry. That doesn’t mean it’s over.

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Feb. 9, 2023

Pennsylvania’s state capitol building in Harrisburg, PA on Election Day 2022.

Special elections to fill Pa. House seats vacated by Democrats should be held Feb. 7, court rules

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Jan. 13, 2023

Nearly two dozen Lycoming County employees spent three days performing a hand recount of the 2020 presidential election.

No significant changes found in hand recount of 2020 presidential election in Pa.’s Lycoming County

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Jan. 13, 2023

Mail ballots — like ones seen here during the 2022 election — are part of the recount effort in Lycoming County.

This Pa. county is about to start a hand recount of its 2020 presidential election results

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Jan. 8, 2023

Shapiro's pick for Pennsylvania secretary of state, Al Schmidt, served as a Philadelphia city commissioner.

Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro taps Trump target Al Schmidt to be Pa.’s top election official

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Jan. 5, 2023

Voters went to the polls in Pennsylvania on Election Day 2022. Some later filed baseless recount petitions.

Century-old law let voters file baseless recount petitions and delay Pa.’s election certification

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 29, 2022

The Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg.

Advocates, lawmakers hope Pa. House power shift opens door for election law changes

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 13, 2022

Mail-in ballots are sorted and counted at Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown. (Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA)

Wolf administration seeks to finish off Pa. Senate GOP’s languishing 2020 election inquiry

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 9, 2022

A sign directing people to "vote here" is seen in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania on midterm Election Day 2022.

Unprecedented number of recount requests delay election certification in at least 3 Pa. counties

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Dec. 1, 2022

Mail ballots for PA's 2022 midterm, like ones seen here in Lehigh County, had to have a date on the outer envelope.

Rejecting undated mail ballots disproportionately impacts communities of color in Pa., data shows

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 29, 2022

Pennsylvania's top election officials Leigh M. Chapman and Jonathan Marks attended an audit of the 2022 midterms.

The post-election review designed to give Pa. voters more confidence in the results, explained

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 23, 2022

A sign urging people to "vote here" on Election Day 2022.

This Pennsylvania county ran out of paper on Election Day. Now the district attorney is investigating.

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 15, 2022

Poll workers process mail ballots in Lancaster County on Nov. 8, 2022.

Election officials reported few issues complying with Pa.’s new continuous count rule for mail ballots

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 10, 2022

Mail-in ballots were processed in Philadelphia before going to flattening station.

A judge did not change Pennsylvania's ballot deadline for the 2022 election

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 8, 2022

A voting machine tabulates ballots in a Pennsylvania election.

How disputes over vote certification could play out in Pennsylvania counties after 2022 election

by Carter Walker of Votebeat

Nov. 4, 2022

Get the top news from across Pennsylvania, plus some fun and a puzzle, all in one free daily email newsletter.