Partisan gridlock prevents fixes to Pennsylvania’s voting laws as presidential election looms
Pennsylvania is seeing lots of action targeting gaps in its vote-by-mail laws
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania is seeing lots of action targeting gaps in its vote-by-mail laws. The problem is that it’s in the courtroom and not the legislature.
That could make the most populous presidential swing state a hotbed of challenges and conspiracy theories if the November election is close, as expected.
The state also has a U.S. Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick that will help determine control of the chamber, increasing scrutiny on election offices if lawmakers can't break a partisan stalemate and vote-counting is slowed by mailed ballots.
“Everyone just really feels how high the stakes are in Pennsylvania, being the largest swing state in the country,” said Lauren Cristella, president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based good-government group.
