Preparations for the upcoming November 5th general election are in full swing, with officials confirming that ballot designs are finalized and printing is set to begin. However, the certification of the ballot may be delayed until late September due to ongoing court cases concerning third-party candidates who filed objections earlier this month.

Election officials are currently awaiting decisions from the Commonwealth Court, with the possibility of appeals to the Supreme Court extending the timeline further. This uncertainty highlights the importance of voter awareness, particularly in light of recent reports of misleading text messages targeting voters.

These messages, which ask individuals to verify their registration or apply for mail-in ballots, have raised concerns about potential phishing scams, now referred to as \"smishing.\" Officials caution voters against clicking on any links in these texts, urging them instead to verify their registration status through the official Pennsylvania Department of State website.

In response to these developments, the public relations department will issue a news release to inform voters about the risks associated with these unsolicited messages and to clarify that duplicate applications will not result in receiving multiple ballots. Voters are encouraged to stay vigilant and utilize official resources to ensure their participation in the upcoming election.