The 2024 election isn’t over yet — and Republicans are accusing Democratic Party leaders of illegally trying to steal Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat.
An explosive battle over ballot counting erupted after Democratic commissioners in Bucks County voted Thursday to count disputed mail ballots in defiance of the state Supreme Court, drawing immediate outrage among conservatives and legal challenges from Republican leaders.
The Democrat-controlled county’s board voted 2-1 to count approximately 124 ballots lacking required signatures, despite their own legal team’s advice citing clear court guidance.
Democratic Commissioner Diane Marseglia openly acknowledged flouting legal precedent: “precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country. And people violate laws anytime they want. For me if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”
Critics blasted the move —
The Democrat Bucks County Commissioners just voted to count misdated and undated mail in ballots to try and help Bob Casey and one of them straight up says that she knows it's illegal but simply does not care.
Dems are trying to steal an election in PA.pic.twitter.com/7KP4Qoy31b
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 14, 2024
The decision came as Republican Dave McCormick leads incumbent Democrat Bob Casey by roughly 29,000 votes, with McCormick at 48.90% (3,385,115 votes) to Casey’s 48.53% (3,359,086 votes).
The razor-thin margin has triggered an automatic recount under state law requiring a second tally when candidates are separated by less than 0.5%.
Secretary of State Al Schmidt said the recount process will differ from the initial count.
“Counties will use a different method or different equipment to tabulate the results than they used in the initial tally to identify any potential issues,” he said. Schmidt defended the recount while maintaining neutrality on the ballot disputes, stating, “We don’t call winners or losers. We report vote totals.”
Approximately 80,000 ballots remain uncounted statewide, including 20,000 mail-in and absentee ballots and 60,000 provisional ballots. Philadelphia commissioners joined Bucks County in voting to count “undated and incorrectly dated mail ballots,” prompting swift Republican legal action.
“The court just ruled on this two weeks ago,” an RNC official told Fox News. “And it’s just very clear to us that Democrat lawyers and officials see a way to kind of make money off of Bob Casey by trying out this process, but Dave McCormick is already in D.C. to attend Senate orientation.”
The McCormick campaign expressed confidence despite the brewing legal battle.
“A recount will be a waste of time and taxpayer money, but it is Senator Casey’s prerogative,” the campaign said. “Senator-Elect McCormick knows what it’s like to lose an election and is sure Senator Casey will eventually reach the right conclusion.”
Casey has refused to concede despite the race being called by all major mainstream media news sources. “Their work will ensure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard,” Casey said Tuesday, as his team monitors the approximately 80,000 outstanding ballots.
The recount, estimated to cost taxpayers $1 million, must begin by November 20 and conclude by noon on November 26, with results due to the secretary of state by November 27. Counties will certify all other race results by the normal November 25 deadline, but the Senate race certification will await recount completion.
The dispute could have national implications, as Republicans currently hold a 52-47 Senate majority without counting McCormick’s contested seat.
The RNC has filed lawsuits against both Bucks County and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stop the counting of disputed ballots, setting up a legal showdown that could delay final resolution of the race.