Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Senate failed to vote on the nomination of former Philadelphia city commissioner Al Schmidt as Secretary of the Commonwealth. Given that yesterday was the 25th day of the legislative session, Schmidt is secretary as of today.

 Statement from Christina Hartman, Common Cause Pennsylvania advisory board chair

 “After several years with qualified but unconfirmed candidates leading the Pennsylvania Department of State, we’re disappointed that the Senate gaveled out of session yesterday without voting on Schmidt’s nomination.

 “Schmidt has the experience and knowledge necessary for this crucially important role. This session, we have work to do to make our elections more efficient and accessible. We hope that Schmidt is prepared to bring Pennsylvania’s election infrastructure into the 21st century by improving our voter registration and vote-by-mail processes.

 “Congratulations to Secretary Schmidt, and we look forward to working alongside you to ensure that all voters are able to safely and securely cast their ballots.”