President Donald Trump's re-election campaign slapped Pennsylvania's secretary of state and 67 county election boards with a lawsuit challenging how the state handles mail-in ballots, The Hill reports.
The federal lawsuit was filed Monday in Pittsburgh by the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and four Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa.; Mike Kelly, R-Pa., John Joyce, R-Pa., and Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa.
Last year, Pennsylvania passed a law that allowed anyone to vote by mail without providing a reason.
The lawsuit alleges, during the state's June 2 primary, voters used procedures that were not outlined in the new law, including submitting absentee and mail-in ballots at locations like shopping centers, parking lots, fairgrounds, parks, retirement homes, college campuses, fire halls, municipal government buildings, and elected official's offices.
The suit also says this was done with "the knowledge, consent and/or approval of the Secretary of the Commonwealth."
The Trump campaign and Republicans are seeking an order that would ban Pennsylvania from permitting absentee and mail-in ballots to be returned to locations other than the offices of the county boards of elections.
"To be free and fair, elections must be transparent and verifiable," the lawsuit states. "Yet, Defendants have inexplicably chosen a path that jeopardizes election security and will lead –and has already led – to the disenfranchisement of voters, questions about the accuracy of election results, and ultimately chaos heading into the upcoming Nov. 3, 2020 General Election."
The suit alleges the issues are a result of the state's "hazardous, hurried, and illegal implementation of unmonitored mail-in voting."
The suit is also requesting an order that prohibits the county election board from counting absentee and mail-in ballots that "lack a secrecy envelope" or have any text or symbols on envelopes identifying the voter's identity, party affiliation or candidate preference.
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