Priorities USA Funds Legal Intervention Against GOP Effort to Limit Drop Box Access in Chester County
Today, Priorities USA announced funding for another legal intervention by the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans to oppose a second effort by the America First Legal group to restrict access to drop boxes in Pennsylvania.
The intervention opposes a request that would prevent the Chester County Board of Elections from offering drop boxes after business hours. If granted, the request would also require the Board of Elections to pay to redirect its personnel from assisting voters to physically monitoring all drop boxes in the County. Republicans have previously used “monitoring” to intimidate voters during ballot collection.
The America First Legal group backed a similar lawsuit against drop box accessibility in Lehigh County, PA earlier this month.
Priorities USA and the Alliance are supporting this intervention to defend voters, especially older voters and voters of color, who seek to easily and safely cast their ballot using drop boxes. This effort to limit the accessibility of drop boxes will create additional barriers to the franchise, particularly for voters of color, elderly voters, disabled voters and students.
“Pennsylvania Republicans are clearly engaged in a coordinated effort to limit ballot access for the voters who rely on drop boxes the most,” said Aneesa McMillan, Deputy Executive Director of Priorities USA. “Easily accessible drop boxes allow voters to access the ballot when it is convenient and safe for them to do so. Attempting to limit access to this crucial tool, will disenfranchise marginalized communities. Priorities USA will continue to fight for these voters in the courts and protect every avenue available to access the franchise.”
“Older Pennsylvanians take voting seriously, said Jody Weinreich, President of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans. “Chester County seniors should not face unnecessary hurdles or intimidation when they try to cast their ballots.”
“The plaintiffs are asking the court to impose an outrageous, blatant voter suppression scheme in Chester County,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “There is nothing more sacred than the right to vote, and the Alliance will always fight to ensure every older voter can make their voices heard at the polls.”