al-schmidt

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Schmidt, Arkoosh, Browne officially take office as department secretaries

BY: - June 29, 2023

Al Schmidt, Val Arkoosh, and Pat Browne became secretaries of the state, human services, and revenue departments, respectively.

Pa. Senate committee approves Shapiro’s pick for elections chief

BY: - June 26, 2023

Acting Secretary of State Al Schmidt's nomination now goes to the full Senate for a vote.

‘Nothing out of the ordinary’ Schmidt says of Pa. primary election

BY: - May 16, 2023

“You will never see a headline that reads an election went smoothly, but that’s what happened today in Pennsylvania,” Schmidt said from the Capitol Media Center. 

Shapiro launches review to mitigate red tape in Pa. professional licensure process

BY: - January 31, 2023

Gov. Josh Shapiro directed all state agencies to catalog of the licenses, certificates, and permits they issue, hoping to create reform.

Shapiro taps former Philadelphia commissioner to serve as Pa.’s top election official

BY: - January 5, 2023

Al Schmidt, the current president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, will be nominated to oversee the Pennsylvania Department of State, which handles elections, as secretary of state, Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro announced Thursday morning.

COMMENTARY
A week out from Election Day, outside groups have reported spending $7.7 million on behalf of Democratic and Republican candidates. (Photo by Daniella Heminghaus for the New Jersey Monitor)

Be patient during Election Week and help save democracy | Al Schmidt

BY: - November 4, 2022

Our system of elections is far from perfect, but it’s not deeply flawed or vulnerable either.

Trump spread claims of election fraud debunked by his own legal team, Jan. 6 panel says

BY: - June 13, 2022

Trump’s complaints of electoral conspiracy led to increasingly disturbing threats of violence, ex-Philly City Commissioner Al Schmidt said.

COMMENTARY

Democracy hinges on counting every vote — again | Opinion

BY: - May 29, 2022

All candidates, regardless of party, can remind voters that the best way to ensure our elections remain free and fair is to get involved in the process.

Bipartisan coalition discuss accountability in the 2022 political cycle, tracking election deniers

BY: - February 2, 2022

States United Action — a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for election integrity — recently launched an online tool, dubbed “Replacing the Refs,” to track 2022 candidates for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state who have rejected the 2020 election results.

‘It’s been an honor’: Al Schmidt to resign as Philadelphia commissioner to head good gov’t group

BY: - November 30, 2021

Al Schmidt succeeds David Thornburgh, who has served as president and CEO since 2014.