Elections Becoming Major Issue In PA Legislature

December 6, 2020 7:39 am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania who are still questioning without basis the validity of the Nov. 3 election are drafting a boatload of voting-related legislation, with top Democrats quickly accusing them of setting up a sham process and undermining faith in elections. While top Republicans vowed to make a major initiative out of addressing what they deem to be problems arising from the election, Democrats said election officials and poll workers in every county executed a free, fair and secure election “with the utmost integrity.” Democrats also say Republicans should have simply allowed counties to process mail-in ballots before Election Day, the counties’ top request to help them manage the election. Meanwhile, 75 Republicans in Pennsylvania’s Legislature, including House Speaker Bryan Cutler and Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, signed a statement Friday urging members of Congress to block Pennsylvania’s electoral votes from being cast for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden. That outcome is “extremely unlikely,” said Derek Muller, a University of Iowa law professor who specializes in election law, because, at minimum, it would require the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives to vote to block Pennsylvania’s electoral votes.