Voter registration probes launched in crucial Keystone State counties amid claims of potential fraud

Potentially fraudulent predetermination materials are being probed by apical rule enforcement and predetermination officials successful nan battleground authorities of Pennsylvania arsenic nan 2024 title enters its last days. 

District attorneys and predetermination officials successful some Lancaster County and York County are looking into imaginable election-related fraud aft authorities received ample batches of elector registration materials from a "third-party organization." Both York and Lancaster counties person much registered Republican voters than Democrats, according to authorities data, pinch York Republicans holding a 63% mostly successful nan area and Lancaster Republicans astatine a 61% majority.

The value of nan issues cropping up successful Pennsylvania – which is wide viewed arsenic 1 of nan cardinal battleground states that could find a victor successful nan statesmanlike title – were underscored connected Tuesday erstwhile 2024 GOP nominee and former President Donald Trump highlighted nan allegations of imaginable fraud successful a Truth Social Post. 

"Wow! York County, Pennsylvania, received THOUSANDS of perchance FRAUDULENT Voter Registration Forms and Mail-In Ballot Applications from a 3rd statement group. This is connected apical of Lancaster County being caught pinch 2600 Fake Ballots and Forms, each written by nan aforesaid person. Really bad "stuff." WHAT IS GOING ON IN PENNSYLVANIA??? Law Enforcement must do their job, immediately!!! WOW!!!" he posted. 

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PENNSYLVANIA, USA - OCTOBER 26: Amish group participate arsenic U.S. President Donald J. Trump big a run rally astatine nan Lancaster Airport successful Lititz, Pennsylvania connected October 26, 2020. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

In Lancaster County, which is location to Pennsylvania's Amish community, nan territory lawyer and Lancaster County Board of Elections held a property convention past week announcing nan investigation of imaginable fraudulent elector registration forms – not ballots arsenic Trump had alleged – aft receiving astir 2,500 elector registration applications successful 2 abstracted batches past week. The batches of registration applications were dropped disconnected up of Pennsylvania's registration deadline connected Oct. 21. 

"Staff noticed that galore applications appeared to person nan aforesaid handwriting (and) were filled retired connected nan aforesaid day," District Attorney Heather Adams said during a property conference. "The confirmed indicators of fraud that detectives came crossed were inaccuracies pinch nan addresses listed connected nan applications, clone and mendacious individual recognition information, arsenic good arsenic mendacious names. Also, applications that had names that did not lucifer nan provided Social Security information."

Adams said nan materials sometimes included correct individual information, but erstwhile nan individuals were contacted by investigators, they reported they did not petition nan exertion forms. She estimated this week that astir 60% of nan applications were fraudulent, News 8 reported. 

County Commissioner Josh Parsons told News8 that nan alleged phony registration forms are a "threat" to nan predetermination process. 

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"We cognize that this is simply a threat to our predetermination system," Parsons said. "This is fundamentally an onslaught connected our predetermination strategy erstwhile you're trying to get registrations successful that are intelligibly fraudulent."

He added: "If we person intelligibly fraudulent applications connected their face, that is simply a problem. That is simply a threat to our predetermination security. That's what we want our unit to detect. They did. We're gladsome nan strategy worked successful Lancaster County. We're proud of them for doing that."

A motion a successful support of erstwhile US President and Repblican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump is pictured arsenic an Amish buggy rides on a roadworthy successful Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, October 17, 2024. The Amish group of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, are a throwback to different era, pinch their quiet workplace life, horse-drawn carriages and rejection of modern technology. But nan Donald Trump signs extracurricular immoderate of their farms service arsenic stark reminders that they unrecorded successful today's turbulent world -- and that November 5 is Election Day for them, too, moreover if astir won't vote. (Photo by Paul NOLP / AFP) (Photo by PAUL NOLP/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Concerns complete fraudulent predetermination materials are besides mounting successful York County, which neighbors Lancaster County crossed nan Susquehanna River. County commissioners are presently looking into suspicious "election-related materials from a third-party organization." 

"We are committed to ensuring nan integrity, information and information of our elections. The York County Office of Elections and Voter Registration has received a ample transportation containing thousands of election-related materials from a third-party organization," York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler said successful a connection provided to section outlets this week. 

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Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Harris successful side-by-side compilation photo.  (Getty Images)

The connection continued: "Those materials look to see completed elector registration forms, arsenic good arsenic mail-in ballot applications. As pinch each submissions, our unit follows a process for ensuring each elector registrations and mail-in ballot requests are legal. That process is presently underway. If suspected fraud is identified, we will alert nan District Attorney’s Office, which will past behaviour an investigation. We will person nary further remark until our soul reappraisal has been completed."

Wheeler added that an "overabundance of registrations from 1 peculiar organization" group disconnected siren bells for predetermination officials, according to Fox 43. 

The York County DA's agency told News8 of nan concerns: "As we person ever done, this agency will analyse immoderate matter regarding elections that require a criminal investigation and if needed, would prosecute immoderate cases wherever nan grounds is capable to support a conviction."

An Amish horse-drawn buggy passes by signs reference "Stop Illegal Voting" and "Trump 2024" signs successful Strasburg, Pennsylvania connected October 19, 2024. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

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Election officials and nan territory attorneys successful some counties did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for further comment.

Eyes are locked connected Pennsylvania this predetermination cycle, arsenic nan Northeast battleground authorities could thief extremity nan predetermination 1 measurement aliases nan other.

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Pennsylvania carries 19 electoral votes and, since 1992, had voted for Democratic statesmanlike candidates – until Trump's successful 2016 election. Trump narrowly won nan authorities that twelvemonth arsenic he campaigned against erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In 2020, however, Biden won nan authorities by 1.17 percent points​, teeing up a highly-anticipated predetermination showdown adjacent week betwixt Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.