The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 20, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Four Democrat-led counties defied a Pennsylvania state law and counted undated mail-in ballots, a controversy under litigation for years. At immediate issue is the outcome of the Commonwealth’s U.S. Senate race.
Recounts began November 18th in the Senator Bob Casey – David McCormick race, with McCormick holding on to a 17,000 vote lead – less than half a percent.
Pennsylvania’s election law does not allow otherwise eligible ballots which are missing a date on the envelope to be counted, an error which disenfranchised as many as 10,000 voters in the 2022 midterms.
October 5th, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected a case challenging the rule, saying it was too close to the election, so most Pennsylvania counties did NOT count undated ballots. But in Bucks, Centre, and Philadelphia counties, Democrat-majority county election boards did count the ballots, citing that the date was immaterial to the intent of the voter. As an automatic recount began November 18th, the commonwealth’s highest court affirmed that those ballots could NOT be counted.
Ironically, while McCormick fought to keep undated ballots from being counted in 2024, a WHYY report points out that he sued to COUNT undated ballots in his failed 2022 U.S. Senate Primary – a race decided by only 972 votes.
We have great local reporting and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – The ACLU Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on Undated Pennsylvania Mail-in Ballots Case
Pennsylvania Supreme Court (via Democracy Docket – Nov. 18th Order
Democracy Docket – Pennsylvania Supreme Court Reaffirms Mail-in Ballots With Date Issues Won’t Count
Spotlight PA/Votebeat – Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race is getting a recount. Here’s how it will work.
WHYY – Pa. Senate race goes into recount as Republicans file lawsuits over mail-in ballots
WHYY/AP – (2022) McCormick sues over counting mail ballots in Pa. Senate race
The Keystone – (2022) Judge Sides With McCormick Campaign’s Request to Count Mail-In Ballots
Groups Taking Action:
ACLU, NAACP PA , League of Women Voters PA, Black Political Empowerment Project
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #Pennsylvania #SenateRace #UndatedBallots #Disenfranchised