RNC Chairman Michael Whatley is celebrating a significant victory for Republican poll watchers in Pennsylvania after a tense showdown on Election Day. Whatley, in a post on X, announced that GOP “roving attorneys” intervened in eight counties, including the pivotal area of Philadelphia, to ensure Republican poll watchers were granted access to polling stations. In Philadelphia, as well as York, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Lehigh, Cambria, Wyoming, and Lackawanna Counties, reports emerged early Tuesday that Republican poll watchers were being illegally turned away from polling sites.
Whatley’s quick response reflects the RNC’s heightened focus on election integrity in battleground states, with Pennsylvania being a prime target given its history of razor-thin margins and contentious disputes over vote counting. “We deployed our roving attorneys, engaged with local officials, and can now report that all Republican poll watchers have been let into the building,” Whatley stated, calling it a victory for transparency and oversight.
Pennsylvania’s election law allows for poll watchers, but they must meet a stringent list of requirements. Republican poll watchers, like their Democratic counterparts, must be registered voters within the county they’re assigned, and they must secure credentials in advance to observe the election process. Although not permitted to challenge voters directly, they can monitor voting lists and raise concerns if they believe ballots are being cast in error. Yet despite following these rules, Republican watchers were reportedly denied entry at multiple locations until RNC attorneys intervened.
This incident is part of a broader effort by Republicans to ensure voter oversight in key states. Just a day earlier, the RNC filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee election officials over a last-minute change to poll-watching rules. The Milwaukee Election Commission limited each party to one observer per polling site, which the RNC argued violates Wisconsin law by restricting the ability of observers to watch “all aspects” of voting. According to Fox News, the RNC’s complaint asserts that the commission’s rule change infringes on Wis. Stat. § 7.41, which mandates sufficient observation areas to allow monitors to oversee the voting process.
PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION INTEGRITY:
Early this morning we learned that Republican poll watchers in Philadelphia, York, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Lehigh, Cambria, Wyoming, and Lackawanna Counties were being turned away.
We deployed our roving attorneys, engaged with local officials,…
— Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) November 5, 2024
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail numbers came as a surprising boost for Republicans, with anticipated Democratic surges failing to materialize as expected. Republicans now hope to capitalize on their historic Election Day turnout advantage, while the Trump campaign is pushing to activate support among Black and Latino voters who could play a decisive role in Pennsylvania’s final results.
With tensions high, Whatley assured supporters that the RNC remains vigilant, committed to securing transparency and fair access for its poll watchers. “We will keep fighting, keep winning, and keep sharing updates,” he pledged, signaling a relentless focus on election integrity in the final hours of this critical race.
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