Accusations have surfaced against Swing State Democrats, suggesting they are involved in the illegal recruitment of poll watchers, igniting concerns about undermined election integrity and voter intimidation tactics.
At a Glance
- The Pennsylvania Democratic Party may be illegally recruiting out-of-state poll watchers, according to a letter from the Republican National Committee (RNC)
- Pennsylvania state law requires poll watchers to be registered electors of the county where they are serving
- The RNC argues that these actions could affect the legitimacy of election results
- The presidential race in Pennsylvania is very close, with Trump polling just 0.1 points ahead of Harris
GOP’s Alarming Accusations
The Pennsylvania Democratic Party stands accused of potentially illegal tactics in recruiting poll watchers. A recent letter issued by the Republican National Committee (RNC) claims out-of-state poll watchers are being recruited to monitor elections — a significant breach of state law.
This controversy arises at a time when the presidential race in the state is fiercely contested, with Trump marginally leading Harris by 0.1 points.
“That’s a completely inaccurate statement regarding Pennsylvania poll watchers,” Linda A. Kerns, Pennsylvania election integrity counsel for the RNC, 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.”
Poll Watchers and Legal Safeguards
Under Pennsylvania law, poll watchers must be registered voters in the county where they serve. This statute aims to prevent potential voter intimidation and to ensure the election process’s integrity. Poll watchers, often volunteers, play a crucial role in maintaining transparency during elections.
However, when deployed improperly, even legal volunteers, can create environments of fear and unease among voters. “tons of complaints that poll watchers were intrusive, and voters felt intimidated because the poll watcher would come and stand behind them as they are voting.”
While poll watchers can help ensure that elections are free and fair, they can also be a source of disarray. Previous elections have seen incidents where poll watchers engaged in voter intimidation, harassment of election workers, and spreading of disinformation.
The RNC’s Initiative
In response to these developments, the Republican National Committee has launched a swing state initiative to mobilize polling place monitors, poll workers, and attorneys as “election integrity” watch dogs. This effort aims to shore up public trust in the electoral process, despite concerns it may lead to harassment of election workers and exacerbate distrust in the results.
“What we need to ensure is integrity in our electoral process,” RNC Co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, said during the kickoff event in Bloomfield Hills, in a suburban county that is crucial for winning Michigan. “We can never go back and repeat 2020, but we can learn the lessons from 2020.” Source
Electoral Implications and Partisan Tensions
The notion that the Democratic Party might be violating poll watcher laws could have sweeping ramifications. If these accusations prove accurate, the legitimacy of the election results in Pennsylvania — a battleground state with 19 electors — could be called into question, further inflaming partisan tensions and distrust in the electoral system.
“The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is soliciting individuals to violate state law,” Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow and manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative at the Heritage Foundation, told the DCNF.
The RNC initiative plans to recruit 100,000 volunteers, deploying monitors, creating reporting hotlines, and taking legal action when necessary. Both the Republican and Democratic National Committees are ramping up their efforts to organize poll monitors, and give voters a heightened sense of confidence in the polling system.
