On Wednesday, the Lehigh County Court in Pennsylvania rejected a GOP-led attempt to restrict access to ballot drop boxes in Lehigh County just weeks before Election Day. Priorities USA supported and funded the effort by the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans to successfully combat this attempt to suppress the vote.
Priorities USA and the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans opposed the America First Legal Foundation’s (AFLF) lawsuit to restrict ballot drop boxes on the grounds that it would create unnecessary barriers to vote, especially for older voters. AFLF’s suit called for the physical monitoring of drop boxes, which is a tactic that intimidates voters and has historically oppressed marginalized communities. In this case, requiring in-person monitors also would have led Lehigh County to reduce or eliminate drop boxes due to resource constraints. The lawsuit also sought to prevent the use of drop boxes outside of regular business hours, which would create obstacles for voters who work during the day or depend on family members for transportation.
The court determined there is no evidence of fraud associated with drop boxes from the past two election cycles, Lehigh County’s use of drop boxes is secure and legal, and voters should have free and legal access to drop boxes without in-person monitoring that has historically oppressed marginalized communities.
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