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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 16 september 2020

Harris, home in California, gets a look at wildfire damage

more than 26,000 ballots in Pennsylvania. Pennsyl- leave more time for voters to
were rejected, including for vania's Supreme Court may return it. Without an agree-
“signature-related errors or rule in lawsuits on some of ment on legislation, “we re-
matters of penmanship,” the the outstanding issues, but ally do risk becoming Florida
lawsuit had said. One coun- Wolf, at a news conference on in 2000,” state Rep. Kevin
ty election director, L. Ed- Tuesday in York, pressed law- Boyle, D-Philadelphia, said.
ward Allison Jr. of Lawrence makers anew to act on chang- A 2019 state law greatly ex-
County, said that the state's es he is seeking. Republicans panded access to mail-in bal-
guidance is in line with his have said any changes must loting in Pennsylvania and,
county's practices and that he ensure the election is secure. fueled by concerns over the
doubts it will be controver- Democrats accuse Republi- pandemic, more than 3 mil-
sial with counties. One way cans of pursuing voter sup- lion voters are expected to cast
of fixing it is to contact vot- pression tactics, including ballots by mail in the Nov. 3
ers to come in to verify their trying to outlaw drop boxes election. That's more than 10
signature, he said. “We recog- and satellite election offices times the number who voted
nize the fact that, as people that by mail in Pennsylvania in
age, their signature changes, I Democrat-heavy counties 2016's election when Presi-
(AP) — With concerns ris- Pittsburgh to drop a lawsuit know mine has,” Allison said in southeastern Pennsylva- dent Donald Trump's 44,000-
ing in Pennsylvania that tens in federal court Monday. The in an interview. “Different nia, including Philadelphia, vote victory over Democrat
of thousands of mail-in bal- groups had cited the lack of medical conditions, strokes, are planning to use. To help Hillary Clinton in Pennsyl-
lots will be discarded in the guidance on the subject and all that kind of stuff enters count mail-in ballots quickly vania helped propel him to
presidential election over sought to ensure that voters into it.” Meanwhile, with after polls close, Wolf wants the White House.
technicalities, officials in the have the chance to fix bal- seven weeks until the Nov. 3 to give counties up to three So far, nearly 1.9 million peo-
presidential battleground lots that are flagged for a per- election, a partisan stalemate weeks before Election Day to ple have applied for a mail-in
told counties they aren't al- ceived signature mismatch. in Pennsylvania’s Capitol is start processing them, instead or absentee ballot, Wolf's top
lowed to reject a ballot solely "As a result of this case, Penn- holding up legislation to fix of the three days favored by elections official, Secretary
because an election official sylvania voters can cast their glitches and gray areas in the Republicans. To ensure fewer of State Kathy Boockvar, said
believes a signature doesn't vote without fear that their state's mail-in voting law. mail-in ballots are discarded, Tuesday.
match the one in the voter’s ballot could be rejected solely To a great extent, Gov. Tom Wolf wants to require coun- For now, counties are still
file. because an election official Wolf, a Democrat, and the ties to count mail-in ballots awaiting one court deci-
The new guidance from — who isn’t trained in hand- Legislature's Republican ma- that arrive up to three days sion before they can get bal-
Pennsylvania’s Department writing analysis — thinks jorities are clashing over how after Election Day, provided lots printed and send them
of State — that state law does their signatures don’t match," to prevent vast numbers of they are postmarked before to voters who applied for a
not allow counties to set aside said Mark Gaber, a Campaign ballots from being discarded polls close. Republicans op- mail-in ballot.
mail-in ballots based on their Legal Center lawyer who rep- because of technicalities and pose that and would rather In that case before the state
signature analysis — prompt- resented the groups in court. how to head off the specter of move the deadline by which Supreme Court, Democrats
ed the League of Women In Pennsylvania’s June 2 pri- a presidential election result voters can request a mail-in are trying to keep the Green
Voters of Pennsylvania and mary election alone, when hanging in limbo on a drawn- ballot, from a week before the Party’s presidential candidate
the Urban League of Greater 1.5 million voted by mail, out vote count and legal fight election to 15 days before, to off the Nov. 3 ballot.

Pennsylvania: Mail ballots can't be discarded over signature

(AP) — With concerns ris- — who isn’t trained in hand- glitches and gray areas in the to give counties up to three Trump's 44,000-vote victory
ing in Pennsylvania that tens writing analysis — thinks state's mail-in voting law. weeks before Election Day to over Democrat Hillary Clin-
of thousands of mail-in bal- their signatures don’t match," To a great extent, Gov. Tom start processing them, instead ton in Pennsylvania helped
lots will be discarded in the said Mark Gaber, a Campaign Wolf, a Democrat, and the of the three days favored by propel him to the White
presidential election over Legal Center lawyer who rep- Legislature's Republican ma- Republicans. To ensure fewer House.
technicalities, officials in the resented the groups in court. jorities are clashing over how mail-in ballots are discarded, So far, nearly 1.9 million peo-
presidential battleground In Pennsylvania’s June 2 pri- to prevent vast numbers of Wolf wants to require coun- ple have applied for a mail-in
told counties they aren't al- mary election alone, when ballots from being discarded ties to count mail-in ballots or absentee ballot, Wolf's top
lowed to reject a ballot solely 1.5 million voted by mail, because of technicalities and that arrive up to three days elections official, Secretary
because an election official more than 26,000 ballots how to head off the specter of after Election Day, provided of State Kathy Boockvar, said
believes a signature doesn't were rejected, including for a presidential election result they are postmarked before Tuesday.
match the one in the voter’s “signature-related errors or hanging in limbo on a drawn- polls close. Republicans op- For now, counties are still
file. matters of penmanship,” the out vote count and legal fight pose that and would rather awaiting one court deci-
The new guidance from lawsuit had said. One coun- in Pennsylvania. Pennsyl- move the deadline by which sion before they can get bal-
Pennsylvania’s Department ty election director, L. Ed- vania's Supreme Court may voters can request a mail-in lots printed and send them
of State — that state law does ward Allison Jr. of Lawrence rule in lawsuits on some of ballot, from a week before to voters who applied for a
not allow counties to set aside County, said that the state's the outstanding issues, but the election to 15 days before, mail-in ballot.
mail-in ballots based on their guidance is in line with his Wolf, at a news conference on to leave more time for voters In that case before the state
signature analysis — prompt- county's practices and that he Tuesday in York, pressed law- to return it. Supreme Court, Democrats
ed the League of Women doubts it will be controver- makers anew to act on chang- Without an agreement on are trying to keep the Green
Voters of Pennsylvania and sial with counties. One way es he is seeking. Republicans legislation, “we really do risk Party’s presidential candidate
the Urban League of Greater of fixing it is to contact vot- have said any changes must becoming Florida in 2000,” off the Nov. 3 ballot.
Pittsburgh to drop a lawsuit ers to come in to verify their ensure the election is secure. state Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-
in federal court Monday. The signature, he said. “We recog- Democrats accuse Republi- Philadelphia, said. A 2019
groups had cited the lack of nize the fact that, as people cans of pursuing voter sup- state law greatly expanded
guidance on the subject and age, their signature changes, I pression tactics, including access to mail-in balloting in
sought to ensure that voters know mine has,” Allison said trying to outlaw drop boxes Pennsylvania and, fueled by
have the chance to fix bal- in an interview. “Different and satellite election offices concerns over the pandemic,
lots that are flagged for a per- medical conditions, strokes, that more than 3 million voters
ceived signature mismatch. all that kind of stuff enters Democrat-heavy counties are expected to cast ballots by
"As a result of this case, Penn- into it.” Meanwhile, with in southeastern Pennsylva- mail in the Nov. 3 election.
sylvania voters can cast their seven weeks until the Nov. 3 nia, including Philadelphia, That's more than 10 times the
vote without fear that their election, a partisan stalemate are planning to use. To help number who voted by mail in
ballot could be rejected solely in Pennsylvania’s Capitol is count mail-in ballots quickly Pennsylvania in 2016's elec-
because an election official holding up legislation to fix after polls close, Wolf wants tion when President Donald