Trump campaign sues Pennsylvania, county election boards over mail-in voting

President Trump’s reelection campaign is suing Pennsylvania’s secretary of state and 67 county election boards in an effort to change how mail-in ballots are sent and counted. 

The federal lawsuit was filed in Pittsburgh on Monday by the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and four Pennsylvania Republican members of Congress: Glen Thompson, Mike Kelly, John Joyce and Guy Reschenthaler. 

“To be free and fair, elections must be transparent and verifiable. Yet, Defendants have inexplicably chosen a path that jeopardizes election security and will lead -and has already led – to the disenfranchisement of voters, questions about the accuracy of election results, and ultimately chaos heading into the upcoming November 3, 2020 General Election,” the lawsuit reads. 

The suit claims the issues are a “direct result” of Pennsylvania’s “hazardous hurried, and illegal implementation of unmonitored mail-in voting” that the Trump campaign and Republicans claim can lead to fraud and “chaos.” 

A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat, said the department will not comment on pending litigation.

Pennsylvania passed a law last year that expanded mail-in ballot voting options to allow anyone to vote by mail without providing a reason.

The lawsuit argues, however, that during the June 2 primary voters used procedures that were not outlined in the new law including submitting absentee and mail-in ballots at locations such as shopping centers, parking lots, fairgrounds, parks, retirement homes, college campuses, fire halls, municipal government buildings and elected official’s offices. 

The suit also says that this was done with “the knowledge, consent and/or approval of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.” 

The Trump campaign and Republicans are seeking an order that would prohibit Pennsylvania from permitting absentee and mail-in ballots to be returned to locations other than the offices of the county boards of elections.

They’re also seeking an order that bars the county election board from counting absentee and mail-in ballots that “lack a secrecy envelope” or have any text or symbols on envelopes revealing the elector’s identity, party affiliation or candidate preference.