Philly Board To Vote On Rejecting Senator's Election Audit

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Philadelphia's elections board expects to vote Friday on whether to reject a Republican state senator's request for access to its voting machines for a "forensic investigation" into former President Donald Trump's 2020 reelection defeat. The Office of the City Commissioners posted a draft letter on its website ahead of the morning meeting that, if approved, would tell Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, that Philadelphia "will not participate in your proposed analysis."

Omar Sabir, one of two Democrats on the three-person board, said Friday morning he expects the vote to pass and the three-page letter to be sent out.

Mastriano, a leading proponent of Trump's efforts to overturn his narrow loss in the state to Joe Biden in November, did not respond to a phone message seeking comment.

It would be the second rejection in two days for Mastriano's effort to get access to voting equipment and records in three counties.

The Republican-majority Tioga County commissioners wrote Mastriano on Thursday to say they would not cooperate, saying their participation had hinged on Mastriano helping arrange the purchase and installation of new machines for the Nov. 2 vote.

York County, also with a GOP-majority county board, has raised questions about the legality and cost of Mastriano's request.

Mastriano has said he plans to subpoena the three counties through the state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, which he chairs.