Judge orders PA official to stop illegal ballot count plans  — or face arrest

A state judge in Pennsylvania has ordered a Washington Township election official to cease an illegal method of counting ballots — or face action from the county sheriff.

The Township election judge, Vincent Manetta, had been insisting on removing ballots to hand-count them after polls close, despite the fact that hand audits are not legal under Pennsylvania rules.

Manetta reportedly defied warnings that his plan was illegal and vowed to move forward anyway.

The matter was sent to the Court of Common Pleas of Fayette County, which ruled against Manetta, ordering him to follow state election procedures — and warning of consequences if he does otherwise.

The court's writ of mandamus against Manetta directs him not to hand-count ballots, and that if he does, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office will be authorized to remove all election materials and a poll worker from Washington Township to a central election office at the county.

Pennsylvania is expected to be one of the most important and closely watched states for the outcome of the overall election, as the most populous state in the so-called "blue wall".