Keystone Today

The Pennsylvania state Senate has approved a bill to strengthen the role of poll watchers in the state.

The Poll Watcher Empowerment Act, sponsored by state senator and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin), now goes to the House for consideration.

“Transparency is the key to rebuilding trust in our election system, and that starts with ensuring all parties have a fair opportunity to view the vote-counting process,” Mastriano said in a statement on his website. “We saw numerous problems in previous elections where poll watchers were denied access to a polling place even with a legal certificate. We also saw issues where poll watchers were so far away from the ballot pre-canvassing process that they were forced to use binoculars. That is simply unacceptable. Improving transparency in the election process is something we should all welcome.”

Senate Bill 573 would make the state's registered voters eligible to be poll watchers in any part of the state and would ensure that poll watchers are able to get within six feet of the ballot-counting process, according to Mastriano's news release.

All political parties would be able to increase their number of poll watchers at a precinct from two to three. The bill calls for stricter penalties against election officials who impede or intimidate poll watchers. The Pennsylvania House will now consider the legislation.

Mastriano is a retired U.S. Army colonel who currently serves as the state senator for Pennsylvania’s 33rd District. He holds four master's degrees: Strategy, strategic intelligence, military operations and airpower, according to his legislative biography. He also holds a Ph.D. in history. He has been featured on multiple national radio programs, as well as Tucker Carlson, C-Span and Fox Business with Stuart Varney.

Mastriano beat out eight other candidates to win the Republican nomination for governor in May, and will face off against Democrat nominee Josh Shapiro in the general election, the Associated Press reported.

Mastriano secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Shapiro has said that if Mastriano becomes governor, “it’s a win for what Donald Trump stands for,” AP reported.