Letters: Thankful for election workers across Pa.; ‘Sore loser’ behavior needs to end

Real ways to restore trust

I receive U.S. Rep. Fred Keller’s weekly constituent newsletter. In this week’s edition he calls for “restoring trust in PA’s electoral system.” He cites last minute instructions provided to counties, AG Shapiro’s dual role as a candidate and election arbiter, and observers being denied access to voting locations. He also accuses Shapiro of having called the election before any votes were tabulated.

On the contrary — the last minute instructions were due to last minute GOP court challenges that might result in the disenfranchisement of mail-in ballots submitted according to the instructions in the voting packet; Josh Shapiro wasn’t running for president (unlike Republican Brian Kemp of Georgia who ran for governor while serving as secretary of state and controlling his own election process); and observers were not denied access to polling places nor to the mail-in ballot counts. And Shapiro, on Nov. 4 after Trump claimed victory in Pennsylvania, called the election far from over and called for all ballots to be counted.

Keller’s statement is rife with lies.

If Keller really wants to restore trust, he will 1) advocate for the continuation of ballot-by-mail in future elections because it’s convenient and safer for some voters, 2) for mailed-in ballots to be pre-screened and ready to scan at the same time as in-person ballots, 3) support free, fair and non-partisan redistricting, 4) work to eliminate voter suppression and intimidation, and 5) urge Republican legislators to ensure that Pennsylvania’s electoral votes go to the winner of the popular vote.

Thankful for election workers across Pa.

I would like to thank our county election officials, the many volunteer poll workers, and volunteer vote counters for their efforts to produce an accurate count of our votes.

I also would like to extend those thanks to all who worked in the 2020 election here in the commonwealth under mountains of votes and pandemic conditions. Finally, I extend my thanks to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar and her office for their efforts to count the votes under new election rules, groundless, irresponsible, and anti-democratic criticism from politicians such as state Sen. Jake Corman and Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, frivolous lawsuits from the Trump campaign, actual threats from those who did not want to hear the results, and a relentless national spotlight.

All of those who worked the elections in Centre County and in Pennsylvania are patriots. They are servants of democracy and are entitled to our utmost gratitude.

I also want to express disappointment in Corman and Benninghoff. As readers of this newspaper know, I did not vote for Senator Corman in 2018 and I did not support Rep. Benninghoff’s reelection this year, but I accept that the democratic process elected them. It is time that they, along with their political party, accept the results of this election for the sake of our democracy and the state and federal Constitutions that they swore to uphold.

‘Sore loser’ behavior needs to end

Donald Trump has every right to request a recount of votes, a recount that will only show that he lost the election. It should come as no surprise that he is also questioning the validity of the election. He told us for months he would do it if he didn’t win. What is surprising and appalling is the willingness of state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff and Sen. Jake Corman to support this bogus claim. Fair and legal elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and to suggest otherwise is an insult to the good people of Pennsylvania, both Republican and Democrat, who worked the election to ensure its safety and validity. It is also worthwhile to note that they are only questioning the results that they don’t agree with, not the results that won them back their seats. Please call their offices and let them know that their behavior reeks of “sore loser” and needs to stop.