In response to mounting reports of mail ballot delays, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit against Erie County. The suit, entered in state court on Wednesday, contends that numerous errors in the county’s mail ballot process could disenfranchise voters in this critical swing area.
The lawsuit highlights that only 52% of ballots have been returned in Erie County, a stark contrast to higher return rates elsewhere in the state. According to the Democrats, many voters have yet to receive their ballots, and in some cases, voters were given incorrect ballots. They argue that these issues threaten voter access in this crucial election.
Pennsylvania Democrats File Suit Over Ballot Delays in Erie County https://t.co/jEHbLdTxd4
A lawsuit said that many voters had not received their mail-in ballots, and that return rates in the county lagged far behind the state average.
— Sean Graf (@seangraf) October 31, 2024
The United States Postal Service has also struggled to locate 1,800 mail ballots that Erie County’s vendor reported missing. Local news reports revealed that USPS sent hundreds of ballots to the wrong post office, which could be among the missing 1,800.
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s lawsuit requests that Erie County identify and notify voters who hadn’t received ballots by Oct. 22. They are also asking the court to allow these voters to obtain ballots in person through Nov. 4, giving them the chance to vote before Election Day.
This legal action comes as mail-in voting reliability remains under the microscope in Pennsylvania. Erie County’s voting challenges underscore broader concerns over ensuring timely ballot delivery in this high-stakes election.
