The state is working with federal agencies, including Homeland Security, to ensure that Pennsylvanians voting on Election Day next month are safe from threats and intimidation.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar spoke about election issues Friday with Marcus Brown, Pennsylvania's Homeland Security adviser. Brown serves as the commonwealth's primary point of contact on Homeland Security issues, and Friday he said this election has brought up similar concerns that were raised in the 2016 election of Donald Trump, which are mainly voter fraud, rigged elections and threats of violence.

Brown noted that even before, with the elections of President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, “being our first African American president, there were more threats against him than any other candidate.”

The deadline to register to vote is Monday, and the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 27. Those planning to vote in person can find their polling place by going to the website: votespa.com.

“My job is to ensure that elections are secure and safe,” Brown said. “This isn't the first election we've been working to put in place.”

Brown said that he and the state are working with police agencies to coordinate safety measures.

“We've had trainings and walked through different scenarios and concerns. What's being highlighted now is concerns of safety at polling events,” Brown said.

Boockvar assured voters the state was taking all precautionary measures with the help of various departments on the state and federal levels to safeguard the election.

“We follow an extensive election process and strengthened these process so every voter can feel safe going to the polling place, Boockvar said.

She also addressed several concerns around mail-in-voting Friday.

There are nearly 9 million registered voters in the state, according to Boockvar's office. Out of those voters, 2,728,267 have been approved for mail-in and absentee applications. So far, 683,123, or 26%, of ballots have been returned. The majority of those ballots are for registered Democrats.

Boockvar urged people to return their mail-in ballots as soon as possible. She also warned people against sending out “naked ballots.”

To prevent that, seal the ballot in both the white inner secrecy envelope and the pre-addressed outer return envelope.

She also reminded people to sign the voter's declaration. Failure to do these things will lead to the vote not being counted.

She also urged Pennsylvanians to vote early.

She also addressed the fact that some people might have applied for a mail-in-ballot but might have changed their minds.

“That's not a problem,” she said, and all those people have to do is hold on to their ballot and go to their polling place when they go to vote and hand over their mail-in ballot.

And for those who forget to bring it or have lost it, all they have to do is complete a provisional ballot at their polling place.

Boockvar observed that counties across the state have seen a surge in volunteers willing to work on election night.

“Every county is in far better shape in the history of elections because of this huge influx of volunteers,” Boockvar said.