The year 2020 was full of unprecedent actions and legislation due to the Covid-19 Pandemic but have our legislators and elected representatives taken some of these actions too far? On a typical election day in Pennsylvania most voters will travel to voting centers and cast their ballots for candidates they believe will represent them best on federal, state, and local levels. In the past most votes have been cast at election centers although this past election in 2020 there was an unprecedent number of votes cast through the mail.

In the past mail in ballots had to be cast by 8 p.m. on the day of the election but this past year in 2020 mail in ballots were accepted if they were received by 5 p.m. on the Friday after the election. Not only were ballots accepted after election day but the Green Party candidate, Howie Hawkins, did not appear on the ballot. Elections are supposed to be bipartisan and fair to voters and elected officials. Accepting late votes and taking candidates off of ballots is not transparent and fair to voters.

Also, this past election Pennsylvania Secretary of State, Kathy Boockvar, submitted guidance that said proof of identification could be provided up until Nov. 12. As Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar had no authority to do this and changed this on her own terms. Boockvar’s change had no legal weight and should have never been implemented in the first place since there is no law giving her the legal authority to do so.

We must hold our Pennsylvania legislators and Supreme Court accountable for these fraudulent actions which suppressed Pennsylvania voters. Help end voter suppression in Pennsylvania so that we the people can stand united against voter suppression and help solve this serious bipartisan issue.