Pennsylvania
Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania challenge state, federal actions to boost voter registration
A group of conservative state lawmakers in Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging three voting-related executive branch actions designed to boost voter registration, including a 2021 executive order by President Joe Biden.
The lawsuit is expected to be one of many to litigate voting and election rules in a battleground state that is critical to 2024’s presidential contest. In the 2020 election, Trump’s campaign, state officials, the Democratic Party and others fought over the rules for mail-in voting, and Trump later baselessly smeared the election as rife with fraud and tried unsuccessfully to overturn it.
The lawsuit, filed by 24 Republican state lawmakers, challenges the legality of a 2021 executive order by Biden that orders federal agencies to consider ways to expand access to registering to vote and information about voting.
It also challenges two state-level actions. One is last fall’s introduction of automatic voter registration in Pennsylvania by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. The other is a 2018 state directive under then-Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. That directive said that counties cannot reject a voter registration application solely on the basis of finding that the applicant submitted a driver’s license number or Social Security number digits that don’t match what is in a government agency database.
The three actions needed — but never received — legislative approval, or conflict with existing law, the lawsuit contends.
Biden’s executive order has been the subject of lawsuits and letters from conservative officials and organizations seeking information about federal agency plans under it. Republican state attorneys general and secretaries of state have asked Biden to rescind it.
The Brennan Center for Justice last year called Biden’s executive order “one of the most substantial undertakings by any administration to overcome barriers to voting.”
The U.S. Justice Department declined comment on the lawsuit. Shapiro’s administration said in a statement that the state had full legal authority to enact both of the challenged actions, both are consistent with the law and that it is “frivolous” to suggest that it lacks the authority to implement automatic voter registration.
“This administration looks forward to once again defending our democracy in court against those advancing extreme, undemocratic legal theories,” Shapiro’s administration said.
The Shapiro administration in September instituted automatic voting, under which prompts on the computer screens in driver’s license centers take the user to a template to register to vote. That leaves it up to the user to choose not to register. Previously, prompts on the computer screen first asked users whether they wanted to register to vote.
Twenty-three other states and Washington, D.C., already have varying models of what is called ” automatic voter registration,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Still, former President Donald Trump has already accused Democrats of ” trying to steal ” Pennsylvania in 2024’s election through automatic voter registration.
In the 2020 election, Trump and his allies went to court repeatedly to overturn Biden’s victory and relentlessly criticized election-related decisions by the state’s Democratic-majority Supreme Court.
Many of the lawmakers on Thursday’s lawsuit have sued previously to invalidate the state’s vote-by-mail law, voted to contest the 2020 presidential election or protested the certification of the 2020 election for Biden.
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Hersheypark in Pennsylvaniacould be forced to close this summer amid a dispute between the site’s operators and union employees, according to a report.
The amusement park is scheduled to open seven days a week starting May 21 in a shift from its weekend-only operation before the summer, despite a looming vote among employees about whether to go on strike.
Over 200 union maintenance employees at Hersheypark, The Hotel Hershey and Giant Center rejected a contract offer from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts on May 7, according to Inside the Magic. The park’s operators described the proposal as their “last, best and final” offer.
Over a three-day period this week, employees will vote on whether to strike after rejecting the offer, which is the third from the park’s operators. A strike could close the park just in time for the start of the busy summer season when families head on vacation.
The list of employees considering going on strike includes ride mechanics, electricians, plumbers, welders, painters, machinists, utilities technicians, carpenters, garage auto mechanics and sign artists.
In mid-March, the union and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts agreed to extend a former contract for 60 days to allow for continued negotiations.
According to Inside the Magic, union workers are seeking fair wage increases, more affordable care plans and higher pay premiums for less-desirable shifts. The union has also said that it will reject new contract offers that lower professional standards, devalue skilled trades or open the door to lower wages in maintenance roles in the future.
The Independent has contacted Hershey Entertainment & Resorts for comment about the possible strike.
Hersheypark, located 15 miles east of Harrisburg, is the largest amusement park in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1906, the 121-acre site boasts more than 70 rides, a water park with 17 water attractions and an 11-acre North American Wildlife Park, according to Hersheypark’s website.
It’s named for and themed in conjunction with the popular candy company.
However, a different park in the Keystone State was named as the top amusement park in the U.S. on TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best list.
It was Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, 42 miles north-northeast of Harrisburg, that topped the list. In doing so, the little-known park was ranked higher than Dollywood, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure that also made the top 5.
“It’s got it all: roller coasters, kid-friendly rides (bumper cars, a haunted mansion), swimming, camping, a mining museum, and even a championship 18-hole golf course,” TripAdvisor wrote. “The accommodating staff, clean facilities, and fun attractions make for a memorable family-friendly visit.”
Knoebels is the U.S.’s largest free-admission park, although tickets for individual rides cost a fee.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling on cast vote records creates uncertainty for counties
NEW CASTLE, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Charles “Yami” Frederick Jamison, age 83, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, formerly of Warren, Ohio, passed away, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Haven Convalescent Home.
Mr. Jamison was born December 2, 1942, in New Castle, a son of the late Charles N. and Anna (Callihan) Jamison and was a 1960 graduate of New Castle High School.
Charles worked as an order checker clerk for Packard Electric Company, Warren, Ohio, for 31 years, until his retirement in 1999.
A proud veteran, he served his country in the United States Navy.
He was a member of St. Mary’s Church, Warren, Ohio and also attended Mass at Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church.
Charles spent his free time hunting and playing Euchre.
He is survived by his four sisters, Margaret I. Klann, Mary E. DeMarco and Catherine “Kay” A. Houk (Robert), all of New Castle and Susan J. Olson (Donald), Winfield, Illinois; his brother, Richard Jamison (Linda) of New Castle; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the City Rescue Mission, 319 S. Croton Ave., New Castle, PA, 16101, and the Salvation Army, 240 W. Grant St., New Castle, PA, 16101.
The family would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to the Haven Convalescent Home for the care and support that Charles received over the years.
Calling Hours will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 111 W. Falls St., New Castle.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on 10:30 a.m., Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Holy Spirit Parish – St. Mary’s Church, 124 N. Beaver St., New Castle, with Rev. Aaron Kriss, as celebrant.
Interment: Castleview Memorial Gardens, Neshannock Twp.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles F. Jamison, please visit our flower store.
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