The Trump campaign just chalked up a major victory in Pennsylvania, where a county judge sided with the campaign and the state GOP in a case that’s already making waves. It started when Bucks County, a swing region in Pennsylvania, prematurely cut off voters from requesting mail-in ballots, violating state law and Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro’s directive to keep those lines open until 5 p.m. Instead, county officials shut things down as early as 2:30 p.m. in some locations, leaving folks who had been in line for hours high and dry. Video footage even showed officers and individuals sporting “Voter Protection” badges—but without any ID—shutting things down way too early.
DISENFRANCHISEMENT: At least 50 voters in Levittown, PA at the Lower Bucks Government Services Center were denied the opportunity to vote in person today. Throughout the afternoon, certain individuals paced the line of voters making statements like “oh the lines really long we… pic.twitter.com/zhuCEgCBWq
— Paul Giblin 🇺🇸🗑️ (@dreamlessod) October 29, 2024
The Trump campaign wasn’t having it. They filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, slamming the county for what they called blatant voter suppression. Wally S. Zimolong, the attorney for the campaign, laid it out plainly: voters, many of whom had waited patiently, were simply told to leave. Under state law, if you’re in line by the deadline, you’re allowed to cast your ballot or request a mail-in ballot. Yet, these folks were dismissed, and the lines shut down hours early.
UPDATE: 2024 Election
Bucks County PA — Police Officer BLOCKS THE DOOR as voters were in line at 4:38pm ET
They were not allowed in and told to fill out requests, per @charisedwardss
Again, this is direct violation to what Govenor Josh Shapiro stated.
If you have any issues,… https://t.co/OVY1NK5TtL pic.twitter.com/m9vnYXCBKh
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) October 29, 2024
Bucks county today 2:30pm
Line closed at 2:00 pic.twitter.com/UWdpFRsatV— Harry Tiffany IV (@harrytiffanyiv) October 28, 2024
The case went to Common Pleas Court, where Judge Jeffrey Trauger issued a one-page order extending the in-person voting deadline by three days to make up for the county’s actions. Originally, the campaign had requested just a one-day extension, but the judge opted for a more generous window, allowing voters until the close of business on Friday to submit their requests.
This isn’t the first time Pennsylvania has seen chaos in early voting. This year, multiple incidents have surfaced where voters faced unprecedented obstacles, prompting courts to step in and restore some order. This latest court victory highlights growing frustration among Republicans with what they see as Democrats skirting rules and disenfranchising voters. Bucks County officials had ignored clear guidance from the state Department of State, and the lawsuit documents how this led to hours of waiting for voters who simply wanted to exercise their rights.
PENNSYLVANIA LAWSUIT VICTORY
We just won the Trump Campaign/RNC lawsuit against Bucks County, PA.
We will now have extended early in-person mail-voting through November 1st — three extra days.
We will keep fighting. Go vote! Stay in line!
— Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) October 30, 2024
The real kicker? There’s been no word from Pennsylvania’s state officials or Governor Shapiro on why police officers or supposedly unauthorized “Voter Protection” activists were countermanding state law and shutting down lines early. You’d think there’d be some interest in figuring out who dropped the ball here, but the silence is deafening.
It’s no secret that Pennsylvania is key in this election. And this case has put a spotlight on voter suppression—not just in the hypothetical but in real actions that could have silenced thousands of voices in a critical swing state. With the court-ordered extension, Bucks County voters now have a second chance to cast their ballots.
