Pennsylvania Election Official Admits to Defying Court Order on Faulty Ballots

In a stunning admission during a contentious county meeting, Pennsylvania Democrat election official Diane Ellis-Marseglia acknowledged she was wrong to defy the state Supreme Court’s ruling on counting faulty ballots in the 2024 election. Her actions have cast a shadow over the razor-thin Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick, which is now heading into an automatic recount.

“I made a mistake,” Ellis-Marseglia told a packed room, apologizing to voters for disregarding the court’s decision to reject mail-in ballots with incorrect or missing dates on the outer envelopes. “Because I am an elected official, I am held to a far higher standard than everybody else. So, to the citizens I serve, I apologize.”

Ellis-Marseglia’s about-face comes after she previously dismissed the court ruling, stating, “Precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country, and people violate laws any time they want.” She had joined fellow Democrat commissioner Robert Harvie in voting to count disqualified ballots, brushing aside a motion from Republican panel member Gene DiGirolamo to uphold the court’s decision.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has been clear in its rulings: counties must reject undated and misdated ballots. Despite this, Ellis-Marseglia and Harvie pushed forward, citing their desire to challenge the law itself.

Ellis-Marseglia’s defiance drew sharp criticism from Republican leaders and even members of her own party. Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro, a rising star and potential 2028 presidential contender, condemned such actions. “The rule of law matters in this Commonwealth,” Shapiro said. “Any insinuation that our laws can be ignored or do not matter is irresponsible and does damage to faith in our electoral process.”

Shapiro’s rebuke underscores the stakes in Pennsylvania, a key swing state where elections are often decided by the slimmest of margins. The ongoing Senate recount, triggered by the narrow vote tally, will now unfold under intense scrutiny, with questions about election integrity hanging in the balance.

This debacle highlights a broader issue plaguing Democrats in key battleground states: a willingness to bend or ignore election laws to secure political gains. While Ellis-Marseglia’s apology may temper some of the outrage, her initial comments and actions reflect a troubling disregard for the rule of law a cornerstone of America’s democratic process.

As Pennsylvania moves forward with its recount, all eyes will be on how state officials handle the fallout. The controversy serves as a reminder that maintaining faith in elections requires unwavering adherence to the law, regardless of partisan pressures.

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