Pennsylvania state lawmakers had four years to change the law and allow pre-canvassing, but they didn't. The Democratic-led Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill to begin pre-canvassing mail ballots seven days before Election Day (as was recommended by a bipartisan panel). But the Republican-controlled State Senate never brought it for a vote, with some Republicans arguing that the change wasn’t needed.

They don't see a need for change because they want you scared and distrustful, John. RUSH $25 or more to help educate voters and protect the faith in mail-in ballots and our elections >>

John: Do you remember all the cries to "Stop the count!"?

When the polls closed on election night in 2020, one candidate appeared to be winning Pennsylvania. But over the next several days, as officials counted mail-in ballots, his lead shrunk and then disappeared. By Saturday, the other candidate was the clear winner of Pennsylvania — and with it, the presidency.

The protracted counting process left a days-long vacuum that was filled with demands to stop counting the ballots while one candidate was still ahead, declaring premature victory in Pennsylvania and building the false narrative that the mail-in votes were fraudulent.

Even if it was done correctly in the end, the delay was just another partisan tactic by opponents of voting rights in the state legislature to sow mistrust in our elections and an attempt to make sure untold numbers of legally cast ballots didn't count.

Why bring this up again? Because -- unlike the 27 states that allowed for "pre-canvassing", or the counting of mail-in ballots prior to Election Day, in 2020 and unlike the 16 states who have changed their laws since 2020 to allow for counting to begin, Pennsylvania is still one of the seven states that bars counting mail-in ballots until Election Day. This delay will likely cause confusion, deteriorate trust in the process, and make election workers targets for harassment. Again.

The continuing danger to mail-in voting is obvious, John. Help defend mail-in ballots with $25 or whatever you can right now and make every vote count in this crucial election >>

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Integrity First Voter Action Project is dedicated to expanding ballot access and increasing voter participation across the country.

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