DSCC, DCCC, DNC, PA Dems Intervene Against GOP Efforts To Restrict Voting By Mail in Pennsylvania

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Pennsylvania Democratic Party (PA Dems) are intervening to stop Republicans’ latest attempt to restrict voting by mail in Pennsylvania.

Key points from the motion:

• Republicans are attempting to overrule clear guidance from Pennsylvania’s secretary of the Commonwealth by trying to force county boards of election to exclude and segregate from the vote any undated or incorrectly dated mail ballots – even though they were stamped as timely received by the county boards of elections.

• This action, filed just three weeks before the election and when many mail ballots have already been sent out and returned, would disenfranchise countless lawful Pennsylvania voters who timely filled out and returned a mail ballot but did not write the correct date on the ballot.

• The Court should reject the Republicans’ effort to disqualify these ballots and should make clear that every county in Pennsylvania must count them.

Millions of Pennsylvanians of both parties cast their votes using mail-in ballots. For example, during the 2020 general election, about 2.6 million of the more than 6.9 million Pennsylvanians who voted did so via mail and absentee ballot. According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, as of October 18, 2022, 1.2 million mail-in ballots have been requested in Pennsylvania for the 2022 general election.          

From Christie Roberts, DSCC Executive Director: “Republicans are once again attempting to blatantly disenfranchise countless Pennsylvania voters and create unnecessary burdens that make it harder for people to vote. Democrats will use every tool at our disposal to fight back against the Republican campaign of voter suppression and protect the rights of voters – including defeating them in court.”

From Tim Persico, DCCC Executive Director: “When they’re worried they cannot win, they cheat. No matter how hard MAGA Republicans try to silence voters for their own political benefit, Democrats will stand for democracy and continue our fight to protect people’s fundamental right to vote.

From Sam Cornale, DNC Executive Director: “This is an effort by the Republican Party to throw out thousands of mail ballots cast by eligible voters, because the GOP thinks mail voters vote for Democratic candidates. It is sad, absurd, and undemocratic. We will oppose them relentlessly and continue our work to ensure that every ballot cast by an eligible voter is counted.”

From PA Dems Chair Senator Sharif Street: “This Republican lawsuit is a blatant attempt at interfering with Pennsylvania elections. In elections as important as these, everyone deserves to have their voice heard. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is committed to ensuring all Pennsylvanians have their votes counted.”

The DSCC previously announced its “Defend The Vote” program, a multi-million dollar commitment to fight back against GOP voter suppression efforts in the U.S. Senate campaigns across the country.

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