Trump claims Pa. fraud, sues Bucks County – NBC10 Philadelphia

Officials in Pennsylvania cannot yet count or even open the votes in the presidential election.

But former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is already claiming that Pennsylvania is “cheating” in some unknown way.

On his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday morning, Trump posted: “Pennsylvania is cheating and getting caught on a scale never seen before.”

In the article, Trump does not address what he specifically accuses the state of cheating.

On Wednesday afternoon, Republican Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt addressed “media questions” about election integrity.

Schmidt said election workers across the state are working hard to ensure the upcoming election is “free, fair, safe and secure.”

“Bipartisan election officials are doing their jobs across Pennsylvania and working very hard to ensure we have free, fair and secure elections,” he said.

Without specifically mentioning Trump's allegations, Schmidt also said that his office has already seen examples of “mis- and disinformation” online, including videos posted without context.

“We know that there is already a lot of misinformation and disinformation about the elections in Pennsylvania and that this is likely to continue in the coming days and weeks,” Schmidt said.

The lawsuit against Bucks Co.

Trump's campaign sued Bucks County over allegations of voter intimidation and long lines as voters gathered to receive mail-in ballots on the last day they could request them, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024.

Read in Spanish here.

At a rally in Allentown on Tuesday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley told a gathered crowd that he was “proud to announce” that the lawsuit had been brought.

“I'm proud to announce tonight that the Trump-Vance campaign has just filed a major lawsuit against Bucks County for turning away our voters,” he said.

His campaign filed these documents in Bucks County:

The Trump-Vance campaign did not initially identify a specific incident in which voters were turned away or prevented from receiving mail-in ballots — although Bucks County officials noted they were aware of some stories on social media claiming people had Had problems receiving mail-in ballots. in votes before the Tuesday deadline at 5 p.m.

In a statement released Wednesday morning, Trump's campaign claimed that voters waiting in line in Pennsylvania were turned away “as early as 2:30 p.m.”

Trump's campaign also shared a video from James Blair, the campaign's political director, that showed voters in line outside the government building in Doylestown, Bucks County, and claimed that election officials were pushing people out of line as they waited for ballots to arrive in the mail.

🚨 Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Lines like this have been around PA counties for days. Except election officials show up, push people out of line and tell them to come back.

Voter suppression! pic.twitter.com/aYrR1N1AeD

– James Blair (@JamesBlairUSA) October 29, 2024

NBC10's Deanna Durante was in Doylestown on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, as voters lined up to request mail-in ballots and said she didn't witness anyone being pushed out of line.

Durante said voters in line were told around 2:30 p.m. they could have a ballot mailed to their home or they could come back the next day to pick up their mail-in ballot.

There is no early in-person voting in Pennsylvania. The county was required to allow voters to request mail-in ballots by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, and those requests were accepted, NBC10 confirmed.

However, Durante said some voters in Doylestown requested mail-in ballots on Tuesday, filled them out there and immediately returned them.

Bucks County officials also posted on social media that voters who encountered problems Tuesday would continue to receive mail-in ballots.

Contrary to what is portrayed on social media, if you are in line to submit an absentee ballot request by 5:00 p.m., you will have the opportunity to submit your absentee ballot request. (1/3)

– Bucks County Government (@BucksCountyGovt) October 29, 2024

Officials in Bucks County claimed Tuesday that “due to a miscommunication, people waiting in line to request an on-demand absentee ballot were briefly told they could not be considered.” In fact, these voters were given the opportunity to submit absentee ballots in election applications today.”

Officials in Bucks County were contacted Wednesday morning and told NBC10 they were aware of the lawsuit but had no further comment on pending litigation.

In Lehigh County, election officials have extended vote-by-counter absentee voting until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, due to traffic closures and delays caused by Trump's visit to Allentown on Tuesday.

In a response on social media, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro responded to Trump's claims, noting that the former president has also attacked election integrity in the past.

Republican and Democratic poll workers are doing their jobs here in Pennsylvania – working with law enforcement to ensure that only eligible voters can register and vote.

Let's remember that in 2020, Donald Trump repeatedly attacked our elections.

I was… https://t.co/Ham7RnLdgD

– Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) October 30, 2024

A Pennsylvania judge sided with Donald Trump's campaign on Wednesday and approved expanding in-person voting in a Philadelphia suburb, where long lines on the final day led to complaints that voters were disenfranchised by an unprepared elections office became.

Judge Jeffrey Trauger said in a one-page order that Bucks County voters who want to request an early absentee ballot now have until Friday.

Sign up for our Current newsletter to receive the most urgent messages in your inbox.