Deadline Extension Sparks Political Tensions in Pennsylvania

A judge from Pennsylvania has granted Bucks County voters an extension to request mail-in ballots following a lawsuit by Trump's campaign. The order allows voters until Friday to apply, receive, and return ballots amid ongoing legal disputes over election procedures and allegations of voter fraud.

A Pennsylvania judge has extended the deadline for Bucks County voters to apply for mail-in ballots until Friday following a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump's campaign. The legal action claims that some supporters were wrongfully turned away as they lined up at a county office on Tuesday, ahead of the initial 5 p.m. deadline.

The extension, ordered by Judge Jeffrey Trauger, affects voters in a region pivotal to the upcoming presidential election. Bucks County narrowly favored Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes are crucial for both Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Republican National Committee, co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, hailed the extension as a victory for lawful voter participation. Meanwhile, Democrats and democracy advocates view such legal challenges as tactics to contest potential unfavorable results. The RNC has escalated the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to safeguard ballot integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)