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Pennsylvania voter fraud investigation into “overabundance” of applications

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Pennsylvania voter fraud investigation into “overabundance” of applications


York County in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania is looking into an “overabundance” of voter registration forms and requests for mail ballots that were sent to the elections office after another county received thousands of voter registration forms that were flagged for potential fraud.

The York County elections office received a “large delivery containing thousands of election-related materials from a third-party organization,” including voter registration forms and mail-ballot applications, York County president commissioner Julie Wheeler said in a statement to the York Daily Record.

As with all submissions, our staff follows a process for ensuring all voter registrations and mail-in ballot requests are legal. That process is currently underway. If suspected fraud is identified, we will alert the District Attorney’s Office, which will then conduct an investigation.”

Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground in next week’s election, and both Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are seeking the state’s 19 electoral votes in what polls indicate is an extremely close contest.

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Wheeler told Fox 43 on Monday: “It’s not unusual to get large stacks of voter registrations or large stacks of requests for mail-in ballots, it’s just this was an overabundance of registrations from one particular organization.”

She added: “We need to do our homework before we go and make accusations when we don’t have the data to back it up.”

Wheeler has been contacted for further comment via email.

A person drops off a mail-in ballot on October 15, 2024, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Officials in York County in Pennsylvania are looking into potential fraud following a large delivery of election-related mail.

Hannah Beier/Getty Images

Wheeler’s comments come as an investigation is underway in Lancaster County, where officials said fraudulent voter registrations had been found among 2,500 forms that arrived at the county elections office shortly before Pennsylvania’s October 21 deadline to register to vote.

Election workers had “noticed that numerous applications appeared to have the same handwriting, were filled out on the same day with unknown signature, and some were previously registered voters (…) and the signatures on file did not match the signatures on the application,” Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams, an elected Republican, said at a news conference on Friday.

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About 60 percent of the applications that have been investigated so far have been identified as fraudulent, Adams said, though she did not disclose the total number of applications that have been investigated fully. Her office has been contacted for comment via email.

Adams said issues with the applications included false names, false personal identification information and inaccurate addresses.

“In some cases, applications contained correct personal identification information, such as the correct address, correct phone number, date of birth, driver’s license number and Social Security number but the individuals listed on the applications informed detectives that they did not request the form,” she said. “They did not complete the form and verified that the signature on the form was not theirs.”

She said it is believed that the fraudulent registrations are connected to a “large-scale canvassing operation” dating back to June. However, she said most of the applications date from August 15 and a majority were from residents in Lancaster.

It “appears to be an organized effort at this point,” Adams said, but noted the investigation is ongoing. “We’ll be looking into who exactly participated in it and how far up it goes,” she said.

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Adams said two other counties, which she did not name, had received similar applications that are under investigation.



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Pennsylvania

Demolition set for historic Altoona homes damaged by fire

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Demolition set for historic Altoona homes damaged by fire


ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — More than eight months after a fire heavily damaged a row of historic homes along Fifth Avenue’s Knickerbocker Row, Altoona city officials have set a date for demolition work to begin.

According to City Manager Christopher McGuire, the Oct. 2, 2025 fire caused significant damage to the center building and spread to the neighboring homes, raising concerns about the stability of the entire row.

“The amount of fire that damaged the middle building and spread to the adjacent buildings on each side, we’re seriously worried about the structural integrity being compromised,” McGuire said.

To ensure the demolition is completed safely, the city has brought in structural engineers to determine the best method for removing the damaged structure while minimizing the risk to surrounding buildings.

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“We want to make sure that this is done in a very controlled manner. The last thing that we want to see is more historic buildings damaged. And then if there is the ability to preserve the end unit that did suffer some fire damage, if that can be saved in the process,” McGuire said.

The demolition process has also been complicated by the ongoing fire investigation. Officials have not yet determined the fire’s point of origin, and the case remains open.

“Evidence has to be preserved, and the fire investigators need to get in, both from the insurance company and the city’s fire investigator,” McGuire said.

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Property owners of the buildings adjacent to the center home were given the option to either repair or demolish their structures. At least one owner has elected to move forward with demolition.

Demolition work is scheduled to begin July 1.

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Lancaster County woman charged after mother’s fatal fall, DA says

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Lancaster County woman charged after mother’s fatal fall, DA says


LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A central Pennsylvania woman was charged Thursday after allegedly pushing her mother, causing her to fatally fall down a flight of stairs, according to the district attorney’s office.

The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office said an involuntary manslaughter and simple assault charge were filed against 34-year-old Elissa Waltman, of Lancaster.

Waltman and her mother, Eileen Flugrath, were arguing when Waltman allegedly pushed Flugrath into a wall. This caused Flugrath to fall down the stairs outside her home in the 100 block of Pickwick Place in Millersville Borough on April 5, the DA’s office said.

Flugrath was taken to the hospital after police arrived. Officers also found an indentation in the wall at the top of the stairs, which a witness said was not there before, according to the DA’s office.

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After four days at the hospital, Flugrath died of head and neck injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the DA’s office.

Officials said Waltman first claimed Flugrath backed up and fell on her own, denying that she ever pushed her. But, officials say Waltman later allegedly admitted to pushing Flugrath.

The DA’s office noted there was a resident on the bottom floor who reported to police hearing a crash and then seeing Flugrath face down at the bottom of the stairs, while Waltman was at the top, cursing and right away claiming never to have touched Flugrath.

Court records show bail was denied for Waltman after she was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Joshua Keller. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 23.

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Pride on Passyunk | Pennsylvania

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Pride on Passyunk | Pennsylvania


On Sunday June 14, 2026, East Passyunk Avenue will fill with music, art, and community for Pride on Passyunk, a grassroots Pride Celebration hosted by Spellbound Studio. Stretching across multiple blocks, this second annual event invites neighbors, visitors, and local businesses to center queer visibility with sidewalk vendors, in-store programming, and pop-up events happening all along the Ave. The focus is to create space for people to show up, connect, and celebrate with activations created by and for the local community. Event Highlights Include: ● Drag brunches, tarot readings, and friend speeding dating in businesses throughout the Avenue ● Sidewalk vendors and artists from 1:00-5:00 PM across multiple blocks ● DJs and drag shows all along Passyunk ● Live band performances at the Broken Goblet Center Stage ● A family zone with face painting, glitter bar, hair tinsel, and DIY fairy wings ● A central merch and raffle booth ● Food and drink specials and discounts from local businesses “Bringing Pride on Passyunk to the Ave just felt right. This is where I’ve built community, where I’ve found my people,” said Alexa Fanelli, owner of Spellbound Studio. “We wanted to create something that reflects that. Something collaborative and local. That’s what South Philly has always been about.” Pride on Passyunk is free to attend (as it should be) and open to all. Follow updates on Instagram at @prideonpassyunk. A full event map and schedule will be available via QR code on flyers throughout the neighborhood.



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