Pennsylvania's Democratic governor vetoes Republican-backed election-related bill

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has vetoed a GOP-backed election-related bill that would expand voter identification requirements, shift the voter registration deadline up, limit drop-box utilization, permit county officials to carry out early pre-canvassing for mail-in ballots, among additional measures.

"Just vetoed House Bill 1300. I made it clear I wouldn't sign a bill that creates barriers to voting. But that's exactly what this bill does," the Democratic governor tweeted. He said that the bill does this through: "Limiting mail ballots," "Capping early voting" and "Cutting voter registration time."

"While this bill includes some election improvements that I've called for, such as pre-canvassing time, it's riddled with voting barriers. I took an oath to protect our democracy, and I will oppose any effort to limit Pennsylvanians' right to vote," Wolf said.

Wolf on Wednesday also utilized his line-item veto powers to remove a budget legislation proposal which would designate funds to establish an election-auditing agency, according to the Epoch Times.

"The governor signed and partially approved Senate Bill 255, the General Appropriation bill, while vetoing the line item providing funds for the establishment and operation of the Bureau of Election Audits contained in HB 1300," a press release noted.