Election Integrity Fight Ensues in Pennsylvania

President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign is condemning Democrat efforts in Pennsylvania to host a recount including undated ballots in the Senate race between Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Republican Dave McCormick. 

Despite the Associated Press (AP) having called the Senate race for McCormick, Senator Casey has yet to concede. 

Pennsylvania election officials, however, are claiming state law demands an automatic recount given McCormick was elected by a 26,000 vote margin. 

However, conservatives are claiming Democratic officials in some counties are  attempting to count undated and incorrectly dated ballots, blatantly defying the law.

Two weeks ago, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court upheld a requirement that counted ballots in Pennsylvania be dated. 

Now, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has filed a lawsuit in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court demanding the recount be held without counting undated ballots. 

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley condemned election officials’ conduct, claiming it amounts to fraud. 

“Democrat officials and scam lawyers are aiding and abetting Bob Casey’s shameful attempts to steal back a Senate seat which he lost decisively,” said Chairman Whatley. “The RNC is filing a motion in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to ensure that Pennsylvania’s democratic process is not undermined by the inclusion of illegal ballots in the final vote count. 

The Pennsylvania GOP similarly condemned counting undated ballots. 

"While Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick currently holds an insurmountable lead of nearly 30,000 votes over his Democrat opponent Bob Casey," reads the PAGOP statement, "numerous County Boards of Elections including Philadelphia, Bucks, Centre and potentially others took an impromptu vote to count undated or improperly dated mail-in ballots, in bold defiance of Pennsylvania law, and two State Supreme Court orders."

While it  is unclear exactly how many undated ballots have been counted, the razor-thin margins in the Pennsylvania Senate race could make such ballots consequential.

If Casey retains his senate seat, Republicans’ Senate majority would go down from 52 to 51.