On their ballots this year, Pennsylvania voters are going to be asked a very confusing question. They’re going to be asked whether or not we should retain Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. National Republican Groups are spending a lot of money trying to convince you that by voting those judges out, you are somehow standing up for democracy and voting rights.
The idea that Justices Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht are anything less than stalwart champions of citizens of the Commonwealth is wildly inaccurate.
Over the last ten years, these three justices have repeatedly stood up for the voting rights of Pennsylvanians and protected our elections from national interest groups. In 2019, Governor Wolf signed Act 77 into law which made significant improvements to Pennsylvania elections. For the first time, Pennsylvanians could choose to vote by mail without having to request an urgent or “absentee” ballot. “No excuse” mail-in voting has increased access to voting for our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, such as the elderly and disabled, as well as workers whose schedules can make getting time off on election day difficult, if not impossible.
For many of us, popping off for half an hour in the middle of the day to vote may seem like an easy task. But shift workers in manufacturing, health care, and emergency services commonly work 12 hour shifts that can span most of the open poll hours on election day. Statistically, this represents between 20,000-35,000 voters in Bucks County.
Add in those workers who have multiple jobs and could be punching two time clocks in a single day and that adds up to another 35,000 voters. In fact, 10% of the county’s residents fall into these two categories. And those citizens access to the ballot box is drastically improved by the passage of Act 77. Those Pennsylvanians, and many others who balance work, family, and other obligations have an easy option to request a mail-in ballot and get their vote counted over a 30 day period.
Their ability to vote doesn’t come down to the reasonableness of their shift manager. It isn’t dependent on whether or not mom’s having a good day or a bad day. It’s not disrupted when a child comes down with the flu, or a car breaks down, or by any other number of external factors.
Act 77 secures the right of all Pennsylvanians to have their vote counted. Every single one.
And Justices Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht have stood up for Act 77 in the onslaught of challenges from the GOP and affiliated groups. A group of Pennsylvania Republican officeholders and candidates, led by Rep. Mike Kelly, sued in 2020 to overturn Act 77. The State Supreme Court dismissed that suit. A Republican Bradford County Commissioner sued to challenge Act 77 (McClinko v. Commonwealth) and the State Supreme Court upheld the act in 2022.
READ: The Makeup of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Hangs in the Balance in November. Here’s What’s at Stake
The Bradford County Case was joined by a suit (Bonner v. Commonwealth/Chapman) filed by State Rep. Timothy Bonner and the Republican Committees of York, Washington, and Butler Counties.
The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is running digital ads encouraging voters to vote not to retain these judges in November. And the great irony of it is that they’re encouraging voters to vote by mail. The RSLC is literally spending money telling people to vote by mail AGAINST the judges protecting their right to vote by mail.
For the last six years, Republicans in Pennsylvania have fought to reduce Pennsylvanians access to the ballot box. Six years of fighting in the courts and on the airwaves to make it harder for hard-working Pennsylvanians to vote.
And Justices Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht have stood for us in every suit. They have stood for your right to vote. For your access to the ballot box. They have stood for the most vulnerable of us, time and again.
I’m returning my mail-in ballot and voting YES to retain Justices Donohue, Dougherty, and Wecht this year. I hope you will too.
