On Wednesday, the Democratic chair of a crucial Pennsylvania county elections board apologized for her earlier comment suggesting that court precedents no longer matter when she voted to count hundreds of problematic mail-in and provisional ballots.
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia expressed regret for the confusion caused by her actions, addressing both local citizens and county staff during a meeting. “I want to apologize for the upset and confusion I’ve caused among the citizens of Bucks County, the hardworking county employees, my family, and those who share my last name,” she said.
Diane Ellis-Marseglia expresses regret over confusion caused by election decisions
Ellis-Marseglia, who has spent much of her life involved in elections, reiterated her dedication to fair, honest, and just elections, emphasizing that, like all Americans, she desires elections in which the public can have confidence. “Anyone who knows me knows how deeply I care about elections, and I want this election, and every election, to be fair and just,” she added.
Her decision last week to count ballots that were either misdated or lacked dates altogether, along with provisional ballots containing errors, made national headlines. During that vote, she controversially stated, “Precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country, and people violate laws whenever they want. If I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”
The comment drew sharp criticism as state law clearly prohibits counting ballots that don’t comply with technical requirements. Despite challenges from voting rights groups and Democrats, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ruled before the election that the date requirement must be enforced for this cycle.
On Monday, the court reaffirmed its stance, criticizing Ellis-Marseglia and other officials for ignoring the provisions of the elections code. The ongoing dispute revolves around about 600 ballots in Bucks County and hundreds more in counties such as Philadelphia and Montgomery. As the controversy gained traction, Bucks County officials reported receiving threats.
This issue has garnered additional attention, especially with Pennsylvania’s Senate race heading to an automatic recount. Decision Desk HQ, in partnership with The Hill, has projected Republican Dave McCormick as the winner.
However, incumbent Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), trailing by roughly 16,000 votes, has yet to concede. Both campaigns continue to contest the validity of various batches of ballots in state trial courts.
