Butler has been named one of 18 counties to accept gifts from voting machine vendors during product presentations, but the chairwoman of the county commissioners said the group hearing the presentations did nothing wrong.

The state has required all counties to have voting systems in place by 2020's primary election that include a paper recording of each vote, as the federal Department of Homeland Security determined that Pennsylvania was among 21 states targeted by the Russians for voter hacking in the 2016 elections.

After learning that Luzerne County's elections director accepted trips from a vendor chosen by county officials, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale asked all 67 Pennsylvania counties to report to him whether they had accepted trips or gifts from voting machine vendors.

The county elections director and the commissioners, who constitute the group hearing presentations from vendors, reported to DePasquale that the company Dominion provided meals for presentations and equipment demonstrations held in 2016 and 2018, and another firm, ES&S, provided lunch for eight county officials at a January 2019 equipment demonstration.

They also reported that various vendors dropped off doughnuts, candy and other small items for county staff members.

“As Pennsylvania counties chose new voting equipment, I want them to make decisions based on the best interests of voters — and no other factors,” DePasquale said in a news release.

Commissioners Chairwoman Leslie Osche said the county did not breach any requirements in accepting the meals, one of which was a fast-food lunch.

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