Former President Donald Trump's campaign will sue Bucks County for turning away voters who had lined up to apply for mail ballots on demand, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said.
Pennsylvania law does not allow early voting, and Bucks County officials insist election offices are not polling places and on-demand printing of mail ballots is not early voting.
In some locations, people reported being sent away because of the long lines well before the 5 p.m. ET deadline to request ballots, The Bucks County Courier Times reported. County officials said on X that anyone in line to apply for a ballot by 5 p.m. Tuesday was able to submit their application.
Speaking Tuesday night at a Trump rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, 2½ hours after the state deadline to accept mail ballot applications, Whatley told voters to stay in line.
"Donald Trump needs your votes, Donald Trump needs Pennsylvania, and America needs Pennsylvania," Whatley said at about 7:30 p.m. ET, The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reported.
"Folks, here's what's happening: Democrat election officials are seeing our numbers. They're seeing our turnout. They are seeing us breaking early vote records across Pennsylvania. They are terrified. And they want to stop our momentum. We are not going to let them suppress our votes. We are going to fight."
He then added "the Trump-Vance campaign has just filed a huge lawsuit against Bucks County," though, at the time, the courts were closed for the evening.
The Pennsylvania Capital-Star said unclear direction from state election officials created confusion among members of both major political parties about the difference between on-demand mail ballots and early voting.
The process of getting a mail ballot on demand required voters submit mail ballot applications. Each voter then receives a ballot on the same day and can fill out the ballot and turn it in on the spot. Or, they can take the ballot home and return it another day before Election Day, The Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
KFOX14 reported Tuesday that in Delaware County, a Trump supporter was seen handcuffed by police at a Pennsylvania voting center.
Valerie Biancaniello took to X posted video showing a group of uniformed officers taking her into custody.
"I was just taken away in handcuffs at the Delaware County, PA Government Center for encouraging people to stay in line and vote," Biancaniello posted Monday afternoon.
Pennsylvania is considered to be one of seven key battleground states that likely will determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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