Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans Seeks To Intervene in Drop Box Lawsuit
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, Sept. 9, the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans (the Alliance) filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed last week regarding Lehigh County, Pennsylvania’s use of drop boxes. The lawsuit was filed by America First Legal — a conservative group founded by Mark Meadows and Stephen Miller — on behalf of voters in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania against the Lehigh County Board of Elections challenging the county’s rules regulating the use of drop boxes. The plaintiffs allege that the current rules guiding the use of drop boxes violate the Pennsylvania Election Code and ask the court to order the Lehigh County Board of Elections to implement strict limitations — including limiting drop box hours to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and requiring in-person monitoring. Previously, Lehigh County offered drop boxes that were available every day of the week at all hours. The Alliance is asking to participate in this lawsuit to prevent harm to its members who “rely on drop boxes to vote.”
In its motion to intervene, the Alliance notes that voters in Lehigh County “rely on secure, accessible drop boxes in order to exercise their right to vote by mail or absentee ballot” and if the plaintiffs in the case are successful it “could be ruinous for the Alliance and its members.” Additionally, the Alliance argues that drop boxes “are critical for voters…who are unable to vote in person because of disability, scheduling conflicts, lack of transportation, or other hardship, and who cast their ballot too late to rely on postal delivery” and notes the importance of drop boxes being open outside of normal business hours.