Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The top Republicans in the Pennsylvania Senate have called on the state’s top election official to resign, but she said she has “no intent” to resign.
Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman,, of Centre County, and President Pro Temp Joe Scarnati, of Cameron, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Clearfield counties, said hours after the polls closed that Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar should resign over changing guidance to counties about handling mail-in and absentee ballots.
Advertisements
“Twice in the last two days, the Secretary of State has fundamentally altered the manner in which Pennsylvania’s election is being conducted. The constantly changing guidance she has delivered to counties not only directly contradicts the Election Code language she is sworn to uphold, but also conflicts her own litigation statements and decisions of both the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court,” they said in a statement.
The two Republican leaders focused on changes in guidance for the canvass of ballots and providing information to voters who had mistakes on their ballots.
“This scattershot approach to Pennsylvania’s elections is wholly inappropriate and a direct breach of the positions she is on record of supporting in litigation – a position that Justice Baer specifically said is best left to the legislative branch of Pennsylvania’s government,” the two lawmakers said.
Advertisements
During a late-night press conference on the election, Boockvar, who is a Bucks County resident, said she does not plan to resign and that she disagreed with “everything they say in their release.”
“Frankly I think that they’re the ones who should resign for not having allowed Pennsylvania and this nation to start pre-canvassing ballots early, as forty-six other states across the country have done. We would be getting results a lot sooner if they had,” she told reporters.
Advertisements
Early Wednesday morning, Gov. Tom Wolf issued the following statement:
“This is a partisan attack on Pennsylvania’s elections and our votes. Our election officials are working diligently to make sure every vote is counted and everyone’s voice is heard. Attacks like this are an attempt to undermine confidence in the results of the election, and we should all denounce them for the undemocratic actions they are. I support our Secretary of State and all of our state and local election officials who are working hard to deliver timely, accurate results and ensure that everyone’s vote is counted and protected.”
Report a correction via email | Editorial standards and policies
