President Trump’s campaign has filed a lawsuit against Bucks County, Pennsylvania, accusing the county of “turning away” Republican voters, according to Michael Whatley, chair of the Republican National Committee.
Speaking at a Trump rally in Allentown on Tuesday night, Whatley described the lawsuit as “huge,” highlighting that it was filed the same day many voters reportedly faced long waits to submit on-demand mail-in ballot applications for the upcoming November 5 election.
Tuesday marked the deadline for on-demand mail-in ballot applications in Pennsylvania, yet some voters took to social media to claim they were turned away due to long lines before the 5 p.m. cutoff. Bucks County addressed the situation on X, stating that “due to a miscommunication,” some voters were initially told they wouldn’t be accommodated but clarified that all voters in line by 5 p.m. were ultimately allowed to complete their applications. The county also noted that those applications would either be mailed to voters or available for pick-up later in the week.
Countering online reports, Bucks County assured voters that, “if you are in line by 5 p.m. for an on-demand mail-in ballot application, you will have the opportunity to submit your application.” Ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5.
Whatley, addressing rallygoers at the PPL Center, announced that the Trump campaign had launched the Bucks County lawsuit as part of a larger RNC effort to counter alleged Democratic interference, stating, “Democrat election officials are seeing our turnout… and they want to stop our momentum.” The RNC has filed 130 lawsuits across 26 states ahead of Election Day.
Pennsylvania, with its crucial 19 Electoral College votes, has emerged as a primary battleground in the 2024 election, drawing significant scrutiny and legal action from Trump’s campaign. Trump also posted on X, alleging that York County had received “THOUSANDS of potentially FRAUDULENT Voter Registration Forms and Mail-In Ballot Applications from a third party group” and that officials in Lancaster County had encountered “2,600 Fake Ballots and Forms, all written by the same person.” Lancaster officials have since confirmed an investigation into 2,500 suspected fraudulent applications, describing it as “an organized effort.” York County has similarly initiated an inquiry into a high volume of voter registration forms and mail-in ballot requests.
Bucks County Board of Commissioners Chair Bob Harvie, in an interview with ABC News, noted that the county was “bracing” for an influx of lawsuits, having faced 11 election-related legal challenges since 2020.
