Under current Pa. law, only statewide candidates must file 6th Tuesday pre-election reports, which cover the period between June 8 and September 22. Other nominees, including state house and senate candidates, can wait to detail their expenses until October 23, 2026, the 2d Friday before the actual election. This system worked when most people voted on election day. People could inform themselves in advance about who is financing electoral hopefuls. That system no longer works.
Changes in our election laws now permit Mail-in Ballots and Ballot by Demand well in advance of election day. Candidates have responded by intensifying their fundraising efforts much sooner than in previous campaigns. You can see this in your mailbox on a near daily basis. Those who wait to make their pitches risk losing a critical segment of voters who prefer the convenience and simplicity of MIBs and Ballot-by-Demand over standing in line at the polling place.
The problem is that many who chose to exercise these voting alternatives have no idea who is funding the campaigns of the politicians they choose. They are unable to follow the money in any meaningful way.
For that reason, the state legislature should change current campaign finance laws to make 6th Tuesday pre-election reports mandatory in all campaigns.
Finally saw a campaign ad detailing the lousily dangerous driving record of Warren.
ReplyDeleteYes and you are perfect along with everyone in your family and you never did a thing wrong when you were young, I mean you didn't get caught
DeleteIt really doesn't make a difference. Very few people actually research before they vote. Most just blindly press the "D" or the "R" button.
ReplyDelete"The problem is that many who chose to exercise these voting alternatives have no idea who is funding the campaigns of the politicians they choose."
ReplyDeleteThat's the idea, silly naive boy. It's time to end early voting. One day to vote, with exceptions for military serving out of the country. Dragging out voting and counting is fertile ground for cheating. We all know it.
Those TV ads for Brooks are really good (production of, themes); must have cost big bucks, coming from outside the region, most likely.
ReplyDeleteThose TV ads against Brooks are really good (production of, themes); must have cost big bucks, coming from outside the region, most likely.
DeleteBrooks is an embarrassment! I have no idea how someone can support such a loser- he screwed everyone in his life, including his family.
DeleteIs Stacy Garrity still running? I haven't seen 1 ad or mailer from her campaign. She's getting pummeled by Shapiro ads.
DeleteIs Brooks using the dough he ripped off from his family? In fairness, politicians are required to be dishonest crooks and he carries those qualifications like a badge of honor.
ReplyDeleteBrooks settled the lawsuit involving the allegedly fraudulent real estate transaction, reportedly for the full amount of the claim. And, a fraudulent financial history was once politically disqualifying, but apparently not since 2016. My guess would be that you were not as indignant about such matters in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
DeleteYou’re trying to fix a problem that shouldn’t exist.
ReplyDeleteThe worse problem is that a candidate could commit murder on Oct 31, and could already have a majority of his vote in the bank. Add to that the increased risk of cheating, the condensed campaigning time in the primaries (which of course favors incumbents) and the downward effect on the number of candidate debates, to name a few other problems caused by election season instead of Election Day.
The problem isn’t the campaign reporting, it’s that we’re not voting at the same time any more.
Bullseye
DeleteI see repeated several times as an assumed fact in these comments that mail-in ballots increase the risk of cheating, but have never seen any facts or evidence which would back this up. President Trump votes by mail. Some members of my family have also done so, and have been able to track their ballot online. I personally prefer the feeling of going to the polls on election day, but I don't think it's any more or less secure than a mailed vote.
DeleteMail-in Ballots were approved by a Republican legislature and they have been popular. I see no more evidence of fraud in this kind of voting than in any other method, including voting at the precincts. Even when voting machines are running perfectly, we hear sporadic stories of voter interference and intimidation. I do not immediately assume rampant fraud when I hear these tales. I just realize that we humans can cheat sporadically. My desire to see campaign finance reports sooner is that voters know who they are voting for before they cast their MIBs.
DeleteMany of the people commenting on this post seem to think that mail in voting is something new. It's not. I was knocking on doors in the 1972 election with mail-in voting applications in my hand - for the sick, the elderly, our men and women in the armed forces. and even people who happened to be taking their kids to Disneyland. They all voted by mail, or at the elections office, ahead of Election Day.
ReplyDeleteOver time we as a society decided to open up this time tested and proven method of voting to more people. The world did not end, elections proceeded and votes were fairly and accurately counted.
Then our Liar in Chief had to make up an excuse for why he was rejected by the voters in 2020, so he started the myth of mail-in votes being tainted. He took his narcissistic imaginings to court - over 25 times. He lost every time. There simply was no evidence to support his wild accusations.
In fact his claims turned out to be just as phony as his claim of having bone spurs, documented by a doctor which Daddy bought for him, to avoid service during the Viet Nam war.
While he spends millions of our tax dollars to run unlawful campaign ads designed to make him look strong, militant and tough, when the time came in real life to serve his country, he ran away. The bone spurs didn't seem to bother him then.
And by the way, if there was something corrupt about those mail in ballots back in 1972, it was the worst corruption scheme ever - I was campaigning for George McGovern who won only one state and DC. Wasn't anything corrupt about mail in ballots then, or at any time since. To suggest otherwise is an insult to the loyal and dedicated election workers who keep the wheels of our democracy working year after year.
-- Joe Welsh
East Allen Township
No one cares, Joe. I’m certain you were not always this bitter. It must be exhausting to be this filled with hate of anyone other than your party of choice.
DeleteYou ok Joe?
DeleteWhy does Florida count more ballots in just a few hours, while PA can take days or weeks or months? Those responsible for our delays apparently aren't feeling insulted enough.
DeleteThis post is about campaign finance, not the individual campaigns. I have begun rejecting comments about individual races.
ReplyDeleteNobody cares. Let’s move on please.
Delete