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Three counties in PA are refusing to certify primary voting results.
Link to tweet
Tweet text:
Greg Sargent
@ThePlumLineGS
·
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Three counties in PA are refusing to certify primary voting results.
This is the "latest attempt by conservative-leaning counties to disrupt, delay or meddle with the process of statewide election certification."
NYT reports on a new threat to democracy:
Election workers scanning ballots last month in Lancaster, Pa. The county and two others have refused to process certain absentee ballots, which has delayed the state’s certification of its primary results.
nytimes.com
A Hidden New Threat to U.S. Elections
Some Republican-led counties are refusing to certify election results — a move that could throw American democracy into chaos if it becomes widespread.
5:09 AM · Jul 24, 2022
Greg Sargent
@ThePlumLineGS
·
Follow
Three counties in PA are refusing to certify primary voting results.
This is the "latest attempt by conservative-leaning counties to disrupt, delay or meddle with the process of statewide election certification."
NYT reports on a new threat to democracy:
Election workers scanning ballots last month in Lancaster, Pa. The county and two others have refused to process certain absentee ballots, which has delayed the state’s certification of its primary results.
nytimes.com
A Hidden New Threat to U.S. Elections
Some Republican-led counties are refusing to certify election results — a move that could throw American democracy into chaos if it becomes widespread.
5:09 AM · Jul 24, 2022
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/22/us/politics/county-election-certify.html
No paywall
https://archive.ph/xl3Mp
It’s been more than nine weeks since the Pennsylvania primary. The election is still not certified.
The reason: Three counties — Berks, Fayette and Lancaster — are refusing to process absentee ballots that were received in a timely manner and are otherwise valid, except the voter did not write a date on the declaration printed on the ballot’s return envelope.
The Pennsylvania attorney general has argued in court amid a lawsuit against those three counties that the state will not certify results unless they “include every ballot lawfully cast in that election” (emphasis theirs).
The standoff in Pennsylvania is the latest attempt by conservative-leaning counties to disrupt, delay or otherwise meddle with the process of statewide election certification, a normally ceremonial administrative procedure that became a target of Donald Trump’s attempts to subvert the 2020 contest.
It’s happened in other states, too. Earlier this year, Otero County, a rural conservative area in southern New Mexico, refused to certify its primary election, citing conspiracy theories about voting machines, though no county commissioner produced evidence to legitimize their concerns.
*snip*
23 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
TOLD YA 
TOLD YA
TOLD YA
TOLD YA
TOLD YA
TOLD YA
You see, it WONT MATTER how many of us vote, will it! But at a MINIMUM we better fucking ALL VOTE!
No more NOSE HOLDING
Because it was included in the state law - Act-77 -
(snip)
Section 6. Section 1306(a) introductory paragraph and (1) and (b) of the act are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
Section 1306. Voting by Absentee Electors.--(a) Except as provided in paragraphs [(1),] (2) and (3), at any time after receiving an official absentee ballot, but on or before [five o'clock P.M. on the Friday prior to] eight o'clock P.M. the day of the primary or election, the elector shall, in secret, proceed to mark the ballot only in black lead pencil, indelible pencil or blue, black or blue-black ink, in fountain pen or ball point pen, and then fold the ballot, enclose and securely seal the same in the envelope on which is printed, stamped or endorsed "Official Absentee Ballot." This envelope shall then be placed in the second one, on which is printed the form of declaration of the elector, and the address of the elector's county board of election and the local election district of the elector. The elector shall then fill out, date and sign the declaration printed on such envelope. Such envelope shall then be securely sealed and the elector shall send same by mail, postage prepaid, except where franked, or deliver it in person to said county board of election.
(snip)
Section 6. Section 1306(a) introductory paragraph and (1) and (b) of the act are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
Section 1306. Voting by Absentee Electors.--(a) Except as provided in paragraphs [(1),] (2) and (3), at any time after receiving an official absentee ballot, but on or before [five o'clock P.M. on the Friday prior to] eight o'clock P.M. the day of the primary or election, the elector shall, in secret, proceed to mark the ballot only in black lead pencil, indelible pencil or blue, black or blue-black ink, in fountain pen or ball point pen, and then fold the ballot, enclose and securely seal the same in the envelope on which is printed, stamped or endorsed "Official Absentee Ballot." This envelope shall then be placed in the second one, on which is printed the form of declaration of the elector, and the address of the elector's county board of election and the local election district of the elector. The elector shall then fill out, date and sign the declaration printed on such envelope. Such envelope shall then be securely sealed and the elector shall send same by mail, postage prepaid, except where franked, or deliver it in person to said county board of election.
(snip)
IMHO (and even in a federal court's opinion) it's irrelevant if the ballot is received on time. But this particular law that was suddenly drafted and passed out of nowhere {pre-pandemic and pre-2020 primary) implemented what became "no-excuse absentee ballots", and that was primarily done in exchange for getting rid of straight-party tickets (a voting option that many Democrats in urban areas used to make it easier to come in, vote, and go quickly).
Little did they know that "no-excuse absentee" (mail-in) ballots would be a perfect option during the pandemic as a way to keep the franchise without having to deal with major poll location cuts and staffing issues, which happened everywhere, and was very acute here in Philly, where they opened only about 1/4 of the normal ("in-person" ) polling locations (188 vs 830) during the (delayed) 2020 primary that ended up happening in June instead of April. That primary was the first "test" of this new option and the response was unprecedented but obviously caused a lot of GOP hand-wringing because by golly, Democrats were.... wait for it... VOTING.
So they had to find any way they could to suddenly target and try to throw out what THEY unanimously passed (save for 1 (R) and 1 (D) legislative vote) - especially after the 2020 general election results. Their effort to repeal this has been thwarted by the (D) governor. So looking at technicalities like signatures, dates, or what was dubbed "naked ballots" (completed absentee ballots not sealed in the provided "inner secrecy envelope" before placing in the main outer envelope).
I remember it already happened in an Arizona County and didn't a Federal Judge order them to count the votes and they finally acquiesced?
Focus!
Please Fight to Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!
