Carbon County officials stressed that election integrity is of the utmost importance in the county.

On Thursday, the county election board addressed a recent event around the country questioning the integrity of elections in the United States.

“I know everyone has watched and received some phone calls in reference to election integrity and what is happening around the country in reference to certain states and machines,” Commissioners’ Chairman Mike Sofranko said. “I just want everyone to know that the election board is on top of it and we are waiting on votes to come out of Washington.”

He noted that the action trickles down to the counties from the federal and then state governments.

“You need to know that every election is very important and it should be held to its utmost integrity,” Sofranko added. “However, before we can act and do things, there’s always someone who says ‘this is what we’re going to do’ and then it gets sent to trial and then there’s a court case and then there’s lawsuits filed.”

The election board is waiting on the same answers voters are waiting on.

“As much as you’re hearing, that’s what we’re hearing,” Sofranko said, noting that when the county solicitor has more direction, he passes it on to the county officials. “Our election staff is on top of it and we are taking care of it and we’ll be ready; but it’s not always in the control of the county.”

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump described the nation’s election system as “so broken and so vulnerable that no one can possibly defend it” and that the system was too centralized, which could lead to enemies exploiting and hijacking the election process.

Since then, counties have been going on record that this is not the case in elections.

In addition to Carbon vocalizing their position on election integrity, Schuylkill County has also assured its voters that the county’s elections are secure and operated fairly.

In addition, The Associated Press showed that the country’s election system is operated by the states using their own sets of rules and systems.