Trump campaign sues a Pennsylvania county to extend mail ballot application deadline amid long lines

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump’s run revenge a suit successful Pennsylvania connected Wednesday successful hopes of concisely extending an in-person voting action successful 1 suburban Philadelphia region wherever long lines connected nan last time spurred complaints that voters were being disenfranchised by an unprepared predetermination office.

The lawsuit, revenge successful nan heavy populated Bucks County, comes amid a flurry of litigation and complaints complete voting successful a battleground state that is expected to play a cardinal domiciled successful helping prime nan adjacent president successful 2024’s election.

The suit seeks a one-day extension, done Wednesday astatine 5 p.m., for voters to use in-person for a mail-in ballot.

Neighboring Lehigh County connected Tuesday asked a judge to widen nan deadline location by 1 day, done Wednesday, because roadworthy closures successful downtown Allentown astir Trump’s rally blocked entree to nan elections office. The judge agreed.

In Bucks County, nan Trump run suit said group who were successful statement by Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline to use in-person for a message ballot should person been allowed to get a ballot, moreover aft nan deadline. However, Bucks County’s predetermination agency denied voters that correct and ordered them to leave, nan suit said.

“This is simply a nonstop usurpation of Pennsylvanians’ authorities to formed their ballot — and each voters person a correct to STAY successful line,” nan Trump run said successful a statement.

The Republican National Committee and nan run of Republican Senate nominee David McCormick joined nan suit against Bucks County, wherever Democrats power nan authorities successful a intimately politically divided region often seen arsenic a governmental bellwether.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s management had urged counties to let each elector who was successful statement by nan 5 p.m. deadline to taxable a mail-in ballot application. Responding to disapproval and misinformation connected societal media Tuesday, Bucks County had said each elector successful statement by 5 p.m. Tuesday would beryllium allowed to use for a message ballot.

Bucks County officials did not instantly remark Wednesday.

Pennsylvania does not let early voting connected voting machines successful polling places, arsenic immoderate states do.

But Bucks County, for illustration different counties successful Pennsylvania, allows voters to use for a mail-in ballot in-person astatine nan elections agency and person it there, a time-consuming process strained to nan limit by Trump’s exhortations to his supporters to get retired and ballot earlier Tuesday’s deadline. Voters tin besides capable it retired and manus it successful astatine nan office.

Voters waited up to 3 hours connected Tuesday. Those still successful statement astatine 5 p.m. were told to spell home, nan suit said.

In neighboring Lehigh County, a dependable watercourse of voters took advantage of nan one-day hold Wednesday, descending to nan basement agency of nan elector registration agency successful Allentown to use for a mail-in ballot, capable it retired and move it in. County elections workers explained nan process arsenic voters stepped disconnected nan elevator into a crowded hallway.

“There are awesome reps present who are telling everybody what to do, really to do it. It’s moving smoothly. I’m excited to beryllium here,” Jeanne Birosik, a Republican voter, said arsenic she waited for elections workers to hole her message ballot.

Birosik typically votes connected Election Day, but successful 2020, she said, she showed up to her polling spot and was incorrectly told she’d already voted. She filled retired a provisional ballot that time, but didn’t want to time off thing to chance for this election.

“This conscionable seemed for illustration a safer measurement to spell astir it,” she said.

Her husband, Chris Birosik, 62, who was besides location to vote, said they didn’t see dropping their ballots successful nan message weeks agone — excessively risky, successful his view.

“I conscionable consciousness much assured that we get it successful and do it this way,” he said.

The early voting angst successful Bucks County is nan latest dustup complete voting successful Pennsylvania, which has nan largest trove of electoral votes of immoderate battleground authorities and is by acold the authorities astir visited by nan Democratic and Republican statesmanlike tickets this year. The runup to Election Day successful nan authorities has been marked by galore battles complete message ballots, immoderate landing connected nan doorstep of nan U.S. Supreme Court.

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Associated Press newsman Michael Rubinkam successful Allentown contributed to this story.

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Follow Marc Levy astatine twitter.com/timelywriter.