The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania Secretary of Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar over "unilateral actions to extend the voter ID deadline set by law, circumventing state law and bringing more chaos and uncertainty to the process."
According to the lawsuit, Boockvar provided 67 County Board of Elections with a guidance letter two days before the general election that allegedly contradicts the state's election code, which is set by the Pennsylvania Legislature. Specifically, the RNC and Trump campaign take issue with the canvassing extension going until Thursday, Nov. 12.
One other point of contention is the voter identification requirement. The lawsuit stated Boockver allegedly rewrote Pennsylvania's Election Code by allowing first-time absentee voters to provide missing identification several days past the state deadline.
Here's the language from that guidance:
For those absentee ballots or mail-in ballots for which proof of identification has not been received or could not be verified:
(1) (Deleted by amendment).
(2) If the proof of identification is received and verified prior to the sixth calendar day following the election, then the county board of elections shall canvass the absentee ballots and mail-in ballots under this subsection in accordance with subsection (g)(2).
(3) If an elector fails to provide proof of identification that can be verified by the county board of elections by the sixth calendar day following the election, then the absentee ballot or mail-in ballot shall not be counted.
The problem with this guidance, the lawsuit stated, is it prolongs the state's final election results.
"This action flagrantly violates the state election code and will only serve to further delay the results of Pennsylvania’s outcome and raise questions about which ballots should be lawfully counted," a joint press release stated.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel slammed the Democrat for making changes at the last minute.
“Shrouded in secrecy, Democrats continue to make voting changes in the eleventh hour that will only dilute the integrity of the vote, delay results, and diminish confidence in the outcome," McDaniel said in a statement. "The RNC and Trump Campaign are prepared to take all legal actions to ensure the integrity of the election, and that includes holding rogue Democrat officials accountable. The eyes of a nation are on Pennsylvania, and they must follow the letter of the law that this election and American voters demand."
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