A Bucks County official is walking back her previous comments suggesting that illegal ballots could be counted in the high-stakes Senate race between Democratic incumbent Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick. Diane Ellis-Marseglia (D), chair of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, sparked controversy with her apparent pledge to defy the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling on undated and misdated mail-in ballots. Her statements raised serious concerns about election integrity and the potential for election interference.
Ellis-Marseglia initially seemed to suggest she would ignore the state court’s ruling, which forbids the counting of undated or misdated mail ballots. “People violate laws any time they want,” she said, adding, “So, for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention. There’s nothing more important than counting votes.” This comment drew immediate backlash, with many accusing her of undermining the electoral process and violating the rule of law.
BUCKS COUNTY OPENLY ADMITS THEY WILL NOT OBEY THE LAW. @JackPosobiec talks about the county commissioners that will not listen to the Supreme Court and count ALL the votes, unsigned or illegal. Jack and Kevin want to make Diane Marseglia famous. @KevinPosobiec pic.twitter.com/SI0rNfqElA
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) November 15, 2024
The controversy intensified after a recount was triggered in the tight Senate race, where McCormick had been declared the winner by multiple news outlets, but Casey refused to concede, citing the close results and requesting the recount due to the margin being within 0.5%. Republican leaders, including Michael Whatley, Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), quickly condemned the remarks, accusing Democrats of attempting to “steal the seat” by pushing to count illegal ballots.
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia in Pennsylvania on Wednesday apologized for claiming that a "precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore” PA county official apologizes after facing backlash. https://t.co/k3d5aMF0uH
— Randall Brink (@randallbrink) November 21, 2024
Whatley called the comments a blatant effort to break the law and undermine voter confidence. “This is the exact kind of left-wing election interference that undermines voter confidence,” Whatley stated, referencing the ongoing legal challenges the RNC has filed to prevent the counting of illegal ballots.
In response, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) broke his silence, acknowledging that there had been confusion regarding undated ballots and stating that local officials were in a difficult legal position. However, Shapiro made it clear that laws should not be ignored. “Any insinuation that our laws can be ignored or do not matter is irresponsible and does damage the faith in our electoral process,” he said, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law.
Bucks county cheating again,that elected official should resign or be recalled 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸we have a mandate step aside the Supreme Court in you state gave a ruling follow it 🐀🐀🐀🐀
— SammyKaye (@proudNavyMan) November 21, 2024
Later, Ellis-Marseglia appeared to backpedal, blaming the backlash on a “misinterpretation of [an] inartfully worded statement.” In a statement, she apologized for the confusion and upset her comments had caused, expressing relief that the court’s ruling had provided much-needed clarity on the issue. “This is exactly what I was hoping for, for the court to weigh in and give us clarity,” she said, indicating that she now accepted the court’s decision.
The incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding election integrity and the legal battles over mail-in ballots, which continue to be a contentious issue in Pennsylvania and other swing states.
