Recount to start in PA Senate race as legal disputes over ballots intensify

IN PENNSYLVANIA, A HIGH-STAKES LEGAL BATTLE OVER BALLOT COUNTING IS UNFOLDING IN THE RAZOR-THIN U.S. SENATE RACE BETWEEN INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT BOB CASEY AND REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER DAVID MCCORMICK. AS COUNTIES BEGIN A MANDATORY RECOUNT, THE COURTS ARE BEING CALLED IN TO DECIDE WHAT VOTES COUNT AND WHICH DON’T.

AT THE HEART OF THIS ELECTION DISPUTE ARE HUNDREDS OF MAIL BALLOTS THAT MAY BE MISSING SIGNATURES OR MISDATED… BALLOTS THAT REPUBLICANS SAY SHOULD BE TOSSED OUT. BUT DEMOCRATS ARGUE, THAT COULD MEAN TOSSING OUT VOTERS’ VOICES.

HERE’S HOW WE GOT HERE.

IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION… PENNSYLVANIA’S SUPREME COURT ORDERED ALL COUNTIES TO FOLLOW A RULE: MAIL BALLOTS MUST HAVE A PROPER, HANDWRITTEN DATE, OR THEY DON’T COUNT. 

HOWEVER, THIS RULE HAS SPARKED FIERCE DEBATES. SOME COUNTY BOARDS, LIKE THOSE IN BUCKS AND PHILADELPHIA, MOVED TO COUNT UNDATED OR MISDATED BALLOTS… ARGUING THEY WERE TIME-STAMPED ON ARRIVAL, PROVIDING PROOF THEY WERE RECEIVED ON TIME.

IN BUCKS COUNTY, OFFICIALS VOTED 2-TO-1 ALONG PARTY LINES TO COUNT OVER 400 SUCH BALLOTS. PHILADELPHIA’S BOARD MADE A SIMILAR CALL. AND NOW REPUBLICANS ARE TAKING THIS TO THE COURTS.

Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo

“We reject all three categories of these ballots…”

Commissioner Diane Marseglia

“I’m not going to second that motion, because i think we all know precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore.. And people violate laws anytime they want. So for me… if I violate this law it’s because i want the court to pay attention to it.”

REPUBLICANS FILED AN APPEAL ASKING THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT TO INTERVENE… ONCE AGAIN… TO ENSURE COUNTIES FOLLOW ITS GUIDANCE. DAVID MCCORMICK, WHO WAS DECLARED THE WINNER BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, HAS FILED APPEALS IN LOWER COURTS AS WELL, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

MCCORMICK HAS ALREADY DECLARED VICTORY, BUT WITH A STATEWIDE RECOUNT UNDERWAY AND HUNDREDS OF DISPUTED BALLOTS IN PLAY, THIS RACE COULD TAKE A TURN.

CASEY’S TEAM ARGUES MCCORMICK’S CURRENT STANCE CONTRADICTS HIS POSITION FROM 2022 WHEN HE SUPPORTED COUNTING BALLOTS WITH DATE ISSUES DURING A RECOUNT. MEANWHILE, MCCORMICK’S CAMP SAYS CASEY’S TEAM IS “TRYING TO ILLEGALLY COUNT UNREGISTERED VOTES,” AN ALLEGATION DEMOCRATS DISMISS AS AN ATTEMPT TO “DISENFRANCHISE” VOTERS.

COUNTIES WILL REPORT RESULTS TO THE STATE BY NOVEMBER 27. PENNSYLVANIA LAW TRIGGERS A RECOUNT FOR ANY RACE WITH A MARGIN OF LESS THAN HALF A PERCENT, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE THIS RACE STANDS. THIS RECOUNT WILL COST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY.

FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES AND STRAIGHT FACTS… DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.