Former President Donald Trump is livid over Pennsylvania’s decision to add “automatic” voter registration to driver’s license portals in the commonwealth.
Mr. Trump, who alleged widespread election fraud in 2020, said Monday the change will be a disaster for Republicans as he tries to nail down the presidential nomination and win the White House.
“This is a totally Unconstitutional Act, and must be met harshly by Republican Leadership in Washington and Pennsylvania,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Likewise, the RNC, and [Chairwoman] Ronna McDaniel, must spend their time working on this, instead of meaningless Debates where I am up by more than 50 points.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, last week said residents who visit Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) driver and photo license centers will be automatically taken through the voter-registration process and must opt out of registration, rather than opting in. He said Pennsylvania joins nearly two dozen states, both red and blue ones, that have similar systems.
Pennsylvania will offer 19 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential contest, making it a critical prize for President Biden, who won the state in 2020, and for his GOP foe.
It could determine who wins the presidency, and Mr. Trump says automatic registration is a big problem.
“Pennsylvania is at it again! The Radical Left Governor, Josh Shapiro, has just announced a switch to Automatic Voter Registration, a disaster for the Election of Republicans, including your favorite President, ME!” he wrote. “Start suing now, & get the right lawyers this time! The Pennsylvania Republican Party must likewise not let this happen.”
Democrats will likely argue that Mr. Trump does not want more Pennsylvanians to vote because he fears a high turnout will lead to his defeat.
Mr. Trump, in his social media post, suggested the process will be a way for “lunatics, Marxists & Fascists” to cheat on elections, reprising claims he made after his 2020 loss.
Mr. Shapiro says the process will make elections more secure because residents must provide identifying information to obtain their licenses.
“Automatic voter registration is a commonsense step to ensure election security and save Pennsylvanians time and tax dollars,” he said. “Residents of our Commonwealth already provide proof of identity, residency, age, and citizenship at the DMV — all the information required to register to vote — so it makes good sense to streamline that process with voter registration.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.