Pennsylvania election officials and candidates address voting and data center issues

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt has stated that voting procedures remain unchanged for the upcoming election despite ongoing legal battles regarding mail-in ballots. The disputes stem from a Trump administration executive order seeking to require states to provide the U.S. Postal Service with approved mail-ballot voter lists and unique tracking barcodes. Pennsylvania and several other states have challenged the order, arguing it usurps state and congressional authority. While the Supreme Court previously lifted an injunction because federal implementing rules were not yet finalized, legal challenges regarding the order continue.

In separate political developments, Democratic congressional candidate Bob Harvie has called for a moratorium on the construction of data centers in Pennsylvania’s first congressional district. Harvie’s campaign released an advertisement criticizing incumbent Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, alleging that Fitzpatrick supported tax breaks for tech companies. The campaign highlights local opposition to a proposed 600-megawatt Amazon data center in Bucks County, where residents have expressed concerns over air pollution, water usage, and rising electricity rates.