Opinion: Senator Maria Collett
With only a few days until Election Day, all eyes are on swing states like Pennsylvania.
Here, every vote is an opportunity to make change and fight for your values, both at the presidential level and during hotly contested state legislative races. In 2022, the next race for the House of Representatives was decided just 63 votes. Today, the state House is controlled by Democrats (102–101), while the Senate is controlled by Republicans (28–22).
With fierce races up and down ballots and misleading, often perilous election rumors circulating – it is more essential than ever that Pennsylvania voters can have confidence in our election systems and make our voices heard at the ballot box. The stakes for Pennsylvanians are higher than ever – especially as we remember the baseless crusade by right-wing extremists to overturn the 2020 election and know that they have already done so taking steps to undermine your vote in the November election.
Pennsylvania was one of seven states targeted by Trump loyalists’ “sham voter” scheme aimed at overriding the will of voters and President Biden’s victory.
After the election, Republican leaders in the state Senate attempted to subpoena nine million Pennsylvanians in a baseless investigation into the Biden-Trump race that continues the “Big Lie.” Their actions have resulted in years of litigation and taxpayer dollars being wasted, all in an attempt to sow doubt about our elections and further satisfy the interests of Trump and his voters.
In 2021, Republican leaders in the state Senate refused to administer the oath of office to Democrat Jim Brewster, who won a close but final victory in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. He later took his seat after a federal court certified his 69-vote victory.
As Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton wrote in her speech latest op-ed“If your vote wasn’t valuable, people wouldn’t try to take away your right to vote.”
As I said during the Senator Brewster controversy, just because the election is coming does not mean it is illegitimate. On the contrary, it emphasizes that in a democracy every vote matters and the last word belongs to voters – not politicians or judges.
Our elections are secure and administered by local election officials, people who are our friends and neighbors, who believe in the promise of America and all we can achieve with our democracy. They do this work so that we know we can believe in the results.
As the countdown to Election Day continues, Pennsylvania will continue to be inundated with candidate, campaign ads, and solicitations of all kinds – some forthright, some misleading, some trying to force the vote, and some trying to suppress it. But the voting process itself is overseen by a hard-working team of nonpartisan election experts who have been preparing for months for this great exercise in democracy.
We cannot allow fabricated rumors from right-wing politicians to undermine this. The best way to protect the future of our democracy is to actively participate in it and vote for representatives who will protect your voice, not silence it.
Plan your vote and stick to that plan. Find your polling place or secure voting drop box at www.vote.pa.gov.
By showing up and speaking out, we play a direct role in developing our country, our Commonwealth and our communities.
Here in Pennsylvania, your vote is protected and your voice matters. Now it’s time to decide how you will cast that vote: it will be your most valuable asset in our democracy.
