Voter registration probes launched in crucial Keystone State counties amid claims of potential fraud

Potentially fraudulent election materials are being probed by top law enforcement and election officials in the battleground state of Pennsylvania as the 2024 contest enters its final days. 

District attorneys and election officials in both Lancaster County and York County are looking into potential election-related fraud after authorities received large batches of voter registration materials from a "third-party organization." Both York and Lancaster counties have more registered Republican voters than Democrats, according to state data, with York Republicans holding a 63% majority in the area and Lancaster Republicans at a 61% majority.

The importance of the issues cropping up in Pennsylvania - which is widely viewed as one of the key battleground states that could determine a winner in the presidential race - were underscored on Tuesday, when 2024 GOP nominee and former President Trump highlighted the allegations of potential fraud in a Truth Social post. 

"Wow! York County, Pennsylvania, received THOUSANDS of potentially FRAUDULENT Voter Registration Forms and Mail-In Ballot Applications from a third party group. This is on top of Lancaster County being caught with 2600 Fake Ballots and Forms, all written by the same person. Really bad "stuff." WHAT IS GOING ON IN PENNSYLVANIA??? Law Enforcement must do their job, immediately!!! WOW!!!" he posted. 

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In Lancaster County, home to Pennsylvania's Amish community, the district attorney and the Lancaster County Board of Elections held a press conference last week announcing the investigation of potential fraudulent voter registration forms - not ballots as Trump had alleged - after receiving roughly 2,500 voter registration applications in two separate batches last week. The batches of registration applications were dropped off ahead of Pennsylvania's registration deadline on Oct. 21. 

"Staff noticed that numerous applications appeared to have the same handwriting (and) were filled out on the same day," District Attorney Heather Adams said during a press conference. "The confirmed indicators of fraud that detectives came across were inaccuracies with the addresses listed on the applications, fake and false personal identification information, as well as false names. Also, applications that had names that did not match the provided Social Security information."