Emergency Closure or Suppression Tactic? Bucks County's Early Shutdown Sparks Outrage

James Blair, political director for the Trump campaign and the RNC, posted a video showing Bucks County Emergency Services closing the Doylestown voting line. According to the Bucks County Elections website, the Doylestown office was scheduled to close at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. However, Bucks County Emergency Services shut down the line early, despite Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro’s guarantee that anyone in line by 5 p.m. would be allowed to apply for a mail-in ballot. Governor Shapiro had stated, “Today is the last day to apply for your mail-in ballot in Pennsylvania. If you are in line at a county elections office by 5 p.m., counties must allow you to apply for your mail ballot. Our [PA Department of State] is coordinating with all counties to ensure every eligible voter who wants to vote by mail can do so.”

Republican committeewoman Fran Haller shared her frustrations with The Gateway Pundit, highlighting early closures at local service centers that contradict the official schedule. Haller noted, “I am the Republican committeewoman in Bucks County, PA. We have issues with On Demand Voting. Republicans are coming out early to vote, but voters are being turned away from County Government Service Centers due to closures well before the posted hours on the Board of Elections website.”

She further reported that the New Falls Road location in Levittown, PA, has closed around 2:30 p.m. several times, despite a posted closing time of 4:30 p.m., making it a more favorable option than the Doylestown location due to its ample parking.

Additionally, voters at the Doylestown office were reportedly turned away because the office only had one working printer, making it unlikely they could process everyone in line. Haller called Bucks County Commissioners, who oversee the Board of Elections, but was dissatisfied with Commissioner Bob Harvie’s response, describing it as a mere apology with no action plan.

Haller emphasized, “Please shine a light on this! I believe this voter disenfranchisement will continue until October 29, the end of On Demand voting. How many voters who were turned away will come back?”

Another voter reported, “I’m in Levittown, Bucks County, trying to vote early in person for the second time. I’ve been told there’s a 4-hour wait, and I won’t be able to vote today. This is unacceptable, especially when early voting was anticipated. Only two people are working here.”

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley called for immediate intervention to address these widespread voting issues, stating, “With only eight days until Election Day, Pennsylvanians deserve every available opportunity to fulfill their civic duty. But voters are being turned away, given incorrect information, and told their ballots won’t count. This is clear voter suppression, and we demand immediate action to ensure every legal vote can be cast and counted.”

Bucks County Election officials defended their decision to close early, citing high demand and longer-than-expected wait times. They stated, “To ensure all applications are processed by the end of the day, the office may need to stop accepting new applicants before the posted closing time. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”