DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — Donald Trump’s presidential campaign secured a legal victory on Wednesday, winning a lawsuit in Pennsylvania that extends the early voting period in Bucks County by three additional days. The decision follows claims that county officials prematurely stopped voters from accessing mail-in ballots on Tuesday.
According to court records, voters waiting in line at the Bucks County administration building around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday were informed they could no longer request on-demand mail-in ballots, despite an official deadline of 5 p.m. This abrupt cutoff prompted a legal challenge from Trump’s campaign, which argued that the decision violated state election guidelines.
Judge Jeffrey Trauger of the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas ruled in favor of the Trump campaign, stating that the county’s actions directly contradicted the Pennsylvania Election Code. In a brief order, Trauger wrote, “Defendants’ actions in turning away voters who sought to apply for a mail-in ballot and receive one in person before the deadline of 5:00 p.m. on October 29, 2024 violated the Pennsylvania Election Code.”
The judge’s ruling mandates that voters who were unable to apply for a mail-in ballot on Tuesday can now do so at the county’s Elections Bureau office through the end of business hours on November 1. This ruling effectively extends the deadline for Bucks County voters to apply for and return their ballots by three days beyond the original statutory deadline.
The ruling also highlighted Pennsylvania’s unique mail-in voting system, which differs from standard in-person early voting. Under the state’s guidelines, voters can opt for a hybrid mail-in process, with the option to request and return their ballots on the same day in-person, referred to as “on-demand” voting.
Election officials in Bucks County have not yet released a statement regarding the court’s decision. The additional voting days come amid increased scrutiny of election administration and access in this closely watched swing state.
