The Republican National Committee (RNC) has filed a lawsuit against Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, accusing county officials of distributing mail-in ballots before completing the mandatory pre-election logic and accuracy (L&A) testing. The lawsuit claims that Montgomery County began sending out ballots on September 17, even though the testing, required by Pennsylvania’s Election Code, had not been conducted.
L&A testing ensures that voting systems, ballots, and other election equipment are functioning properly before an election. The RNC argues that by distributing ballots without completing this testing, Montgomery County has undermined the security and integrity of the upcoming election. The lawsuit demands that the county halt ballot distribution immediately and segregate any ballots that have already been mailed out.
Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija defended the county’s actions, dismissing the lawsuit as an attempt to create confusion and distrust in the election process. He stated that the county’s voting system is secure and that the early distribution of ballots was necessary to ensure that voters could cast their votes on time.
The RNC is also requesting that any ballots distributed before testing be counted by hand to ensure their accuracy. The legal battle over Montgomery County’s mail-in ballots has sparked concerns about election integrity in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state.
As the 2024 general election approaches, the outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for how elections are conducted in Montgomery County and across Pennsylvania. The dispute highlights the importance of following election laws to ensure that every vote is counted fairly and accurately.
