Pennsylvania secretary of state addresses Trump’s claims about poll watchers thrown out in Philadelphia

President Donald Trump on Tuesday night said poll watchers were kicked out of an early voting polling place in Philadelphia, but Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar told Channel 11 that’s not accurate.

“They’re called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They weren’t allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things,” Trump said during the debate.

That statement caught the attention of Boockvar and she wanted to address it.

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“There was some disinformation put out there last night,” Boockvar said.

Boockvar said Trump’s assertion that poll watchers were wrongfully kept out is inaccurate, in part because they haven’t been certified.

“There are no poll watchers yet. They are officially appointed a few days before Election Day. They literally don’t exist now,” she said.

Boockvar took it a step further saying poll watchers don’t have any rights when it comes to being inside county election offices while people vote or turn in ballots.

She also spoke about the security checks in place to make sure only eligible voters are getting mail-in ballots -- a process that has been criticized by some republicans including Trump.

“Before I ever get a ballot, they’re going to check me against either the PennDOT database or the Social Security database and against the voter record. They’re checking to make sure I am who I say I am and I’m eligible to vote,” Boockvar said.

Around 2.3 million absentee ballots have already been approved statewide, which is more than 25% of all registered voters in Pennsylvania.

Even more are expected to be approved and sent out between now and Election Day.

She also spoke about “naked ballots”, which are mail-in ballots not in the security envelope. The Supreme Court ruled those won’t be counted this election cycle. But Boockvar is happy to see the strong campaign to inform voters on how to make sure their vote is counted.

WATCH: Heated first presidential debate between Trump, Biden (CNN)

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