Victory for Republican Poll Watchers in Pennsylvania
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley is celebrating a big win for Republican poll watchers in Pennsylvania after a tense showdown on Election Day. In a post on X, Whatley announced that GOP “roving attorneys” stepped in across eight counties, including the crucial area of Philadelphia, to make sure Republican poll watchers could access polling stations. Reports came in early Tuesday that GOP poll watchers were being turned away from sites in Philadelphia and other areas like York, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Lehigh, Cambria, Wyoming, and Lackawanna Counties.
Focus on Election Integrity
Whatley’s swift action shows the RNC’s strong commitment to election integrity in battleground states. Pennsylvania is key due to its history of close races and disputes over vote counting. “We deployed our roving attorneys, engaged with local officials, and can now report that all Republican poll watchers have been let into the building,” Whatley said. This was hailed as a victory for transparency and oversight.
Pennsylvania’s Poll Watching Rules
Pennsylvania law allows for poll watchers but has strict requirements they must meet. Both Republican and Democratic poll watchers need to be registered voters within their assigned county and must get credentials ahead of time to observe the election process. While they can’t challenge voters directly at the polls, they can keep an eye on voting lists and raise concerns if something seems off with ballots being cast. Despite following these rules closely, many Republican watchers faced obstacles until RNC attorneys intervened.
A Broader Effort by Republicans
This situation fits into a larger strategy by Republicans aimed at ensuring voter oversight in critical states. Just one day before this incident unfolded in Pennsylvania, the RNC filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee election officials regarding last-minute changes to polling rules there. The Milwaukee Election Commission had limited each party to just one observer per polling site—a move the RNC argued violates Wisconsin law by restricting observers’ ability to monitor “all aspects” of voting processes effectively.
The complaint points out that this rule change goes against Wis. Stat. § 7.41 which requires enough observation areas so monitors can oversee everything happening during voting.
Republicans Surprised by Vote-by-Mail Numbers
In another twist during this election cycle, Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail numbers provided an unexpected boost for Republicans as anticipated surges from Democrats didn’t happen as expected. Now Republicans are looking forward to leveraging their historic turnout advantage on Election Day while also working hard to engage Black and Latino voters who could play a crucial role in determining outcomes across Pennsylvania.
A Commitment to Transparency
Tensions remain high as Whatley reassured supporters about the RNC’s dedication: They’re committed not only to securing transparency but also ensuring fair access for all their poll watchers throughout this critical race period. “We will keep fighting, keep winning, and keep sharing updates,” he promised—showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to maintaining election integrity right up until votes are counted.
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