Thousands of last-minute challenges to voters’ mail ballot applications, along with baseless claims by former President Donald Trump about an investigation into suspicious voter registration forms, are adding pressure on Pennsylvania county officials in the final hours before Election Day.
Pennsylvania has more electoral votes (19) than any other presidential swing state, and the major parties have in recent weeks engaged in a series of legal battles over its election rules.
Officials in 14 counties reported receiving more than 4,000 challenges by last Friday, which was the deadline for contesting an absentee voter’s eligibility, according to Matt Heckel, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State.The counties that received challenges include Allegheny, Beaver, Bucks, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lehigh, Lycoming and York counties.
On Monday, local officials dismissed all 354 challenges in south-central Pennsylvania’s York County during an emergency hearing, county spokesperson Greg Monskie confirmed.