The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is finding itself in hot water, with accusations flying that it may be recruiting out-of-state poll watchers illegally. This eyebrow-raising claim comes courtesy of the Republican National Committee (RNC), which has flagged what they’re calling “misinformation” on the state party’s website.
Here’s the issue: The Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s website suggests that recruited poll watchers must be physically present in the state to work but doesn’t necessarily need to be Pennsylvania voters. That little detail seems to fly in the face of Pennsylvania law, which clearly states that poll watchers must be “qualified registered electors of the county” where the election is taking place. In simpler terms, you have to be a resident of the county if you want to serve as a poll watcher there.
Linda A. Kerns, the Pennsylvania election integrity counsel for the RNC, wasn’t mincing words. “That’s a completely inaccurate statement regarding Pennsylvania poll watchers,” she told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Our law is extremely strict on that. A candidate can’t even enter the polling place unless he’s actually there to vote. If you want to be a poll watcher, you have to be a resident of the county where that district is.” It seems the Democrats may be toeing a very risky line here.
The RNC didn’t just stop at pointing out the Democrats’ potential legal misstep. They also expressed concern that recruiting poll watchers under these questionable guidelines could interfere with the legitimacy of the election results. With Pennsylvania being a crucial battleground state where Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck in the polls, this is no small matter.
Adding fuel to the fire, Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, went as far as to accuse the Pennsylvania Democratic Party of soliciting individuals to violate state law. The RNC’s letter further stressed that any misinformation like this could threaten the integrity of the upcoming election, urging Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State to issue a public statement clarifying that poll watchers must indeed be registered voters in the counties they wish to serve.
With Pennsylvania holding a significant 19 votes in the Electoral College, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The RNC is clearly not willing to let this slide, warning that such actions could lead to chaos at polling places and election offices across the state. As the battle for Pennsylvania heats up, the legality of these poll-watching tactics is sure to remain in the spotlight.
