Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is investigating about 2,500 voter registration forms for potential fraud. Election workers flagged the forms, which contained false names, suspicious handwriting, questionable signatures, and incorrect addresses. This raises concerns of an organized effort to influence the upcoming presidential election.
Statement On Lancaster:
It’s been brought to my attention that Lancaster County has uncovered a voter registration fraud operation.
According to the report, the majority of those 2,500 voter registration applications were turned in at or near the deadline & are dated August…
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) October 25, 2024
The problematic forms were submitted shortly before the state’s registration deadline this past Monday. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams announced her office is conducting an investigation. Two other counties in Pennsylvania have been alerted to look for similar issues.
I am very grateful, but not surprised, that the Lancaster County Board of Election workers and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office did a great job of identifying these fraudulent registrations. https://t.co/MTd0GDzII0
1/3
— Senator Scott Martin (@SenatorMartinPA) October 25, 2024
“It appears to be an organized effort at this point,” said Adams, a Republican. “But of course, it’s an ongoing investigation. And we’ll be looking into who exactly participated in it and how far up it goes.”
Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County detects signs of fraud in late-arriving voter registrationshttps://t.co/1sQffofS9Q
— Carter Walker (@ByCarterWalker) October 25, 2024
The flagged registration forms are being held separately during the investigation.
This prevents ballots from being sent to or cast by individuals until their validity is confirmed. Commissioner Ray D’Agostino, who chairs the Lancaster election board, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “This is not right.
Lancaster County scrutinizes voter fraud allegations
It’s illegal. It’s immoral.
And we found it, and we’re going to take care of it,” he stated at the news conference. Officials have not revealed who submitted the forms or if they were affiliated with any particular organization or political party. The forms were collected at various locations in Republican-majority Lancaster.
Both the Republican and Democratic parties have released statements condemning the potential fraud and called for a thorough investigation. The Pennsylvania Department of State also praised the Lancaster election workers for their diligence in identifying the suspicious registrations and bringing them to the attention of law enforcement. Adams revealed that about three in five of the applications reviewed thus far had issues, while others have been verified and processed as normal.
Most of the forms in question are dated since August 15, and a significant number originated from Lancaster City. Adams highlighted that some applications contained correct personal information, such as addresses and Social Security numbers. However, the individuals listed denied requesting or completing the forms and verified that the signatures were not theirs.
The state attorney general’s office has been contacted but declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. This incident underscores the importance of vigilance and integrity in the electoral process, particularly in states like Pennsylvania, where the presidential race is closely contested.
