HARRISBURG, Pa. — On Wednesday, the campaign of Donald Trump initiated a lawsuit in Pennsylvania, aiming to briefly extend the window for in-person mail-in ballot applications in Bucks County, a suburban area of Philadelphia. This legal action was sparked by long lines on the last day for applying, leading to concerns that some voters were being denied their rights due to the election office’s lack of preparation.
The lawsuit arises in the context of numerous legal challenges and voter complaints within a state that is anticipated to be pivotal in the upcoming presidential election in 2024. The Trump campaign is specifically seeking an additional day, until 5 p.m. Wednesday, for voters to apply in person for mail-in ballots.
In nearby Lehigh County, the court also received a request on Tuesday to extend the application deadline by one day due to access issues caused by road closures around Trump’s rally in downtown Allentown. The judge supported this request.
According to the lawsuit filed by Trump’s campaign in Bucks County, individuals who were queuing by the 5 p.m. deadline on Tuesday for mail-in ballots should have been permitted to receive a ballot despite the cutoff. However, the Bucks County election office reportedly instructed these voters to leave, denying them the opportunity, as the lawsuit contends.
The Trump campaign emphasized that “This is a direct violation of Pennsylvanians’ rights to cast their ballot — and all voters have a right to STAY in line,” in their statement regarding the situation.
The lawsuit has also gained support from the Republican National Committee and David McCormick’s Senate campaign, in a county that is politically divided and has a Democratic majority in local government. Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration had previously advised election offices to accept applications for mail-in ballots from all voters still in line when the deadline hit. In response to misinformation circulating on social media, Bucks County had acknowledged that every voter on line by the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline would be allowed to apply.
As of Wednesday, no immediate comments were provided by Bucks County officials regarding the ongoing situation. It’s noteworthy that Pennsylvania does not permit early voting through voting machines at polling places, unlike some other states. However, counties, including Bucks, allow voters to apply for mail-in ballots in person at the election office. This process is time-consuming and significantly stressed due to Trump’s pushes for his supporters to vote ahead of the deadline.
On Tuesday, voters reportedly experienced wait times as long as three hours, and those still waiting in line at 5 p.m. were told to return home, according to the lawsuit.
This situation is part of the broader concerns regarding early voting in Pennsylvania, which holds the largest share of electoral votes among battleground states and has seen intense campaigning from both Democratic and Republican presidential contenders this election cycle. The lead-up to Election Day has been fraught with numerous disputes over mail-in ballots, some of which have escalated to the U.S. Supreme Court.