On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump and his supporters celebrated a key legal win in Pennsylvania, thanks to a ruling from Democrat-appointed Judge Jeffrey Trauger.
Judge Trauger issued a one-page order that extended the deadline for Bucks County voters to apply for mail-in ballots from 5 p.m. Tuesday to 5 p.m. Friday, just in time for the November 5 election.
Trump hailed the decision, highlighting it in a post on X (formerly Twitter) with the message: “BREAKING NEWS IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA,” accompanied by a graphic that noted the extended voting period.
Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, expressed her satisfaction with the ruling during an appearance on Fox News. She noted, “We pushed back on and filed the lawsuit, and we’re really happy to see that they have extended it.”
She emphasized that not allowing voters to cast their ballots disenfranchises them, calling it a suppression of their voting rights.
In support of the ruling, Senator JD Vance of Ohio characterized it as a “massive victory for election integrity in Pennsylvania,” asserting that it was essential to ensure all legitimate votes are counted.
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The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit earlier that day following reports of long lines outside election offices in Bucks County. Some voters were reportedly told they could not apply for mail ballots after security guards cut off access just before the 5 p.m. deadline. The Guardian shared that the county later clarified that a “miscommunication” occurred, and all voters in line by the deadline could still apply.
This legal decision holds significant weight in Pennsylvania, a battleground state with 19 electoral votes critical for the upcoming election. Notably, Bucks County has recently seen a shift, with registered Republicans outnumbering registered Democrats for the first time since 2007.
As of Monday, Bucks County had 206,520 registered Republicans compared to 200,767 registered Democrats, according to local reports.