Battleground State Under Fire for Scheduling Voter Registration Site to Go Dark Same Day as Butler Rally
The Pennsylvania Department of State has come under scrutiny for scheduling a system maintenance update to its voter registration website on the same day as former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The maintenance was initially set to take the site offline from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on October 5, coinciding with Trump’s return to the site where he survived an assassination attempt in July.
Conservatives, including GOP activist Scott Pressler, have criticized the timing, suggesting it could interfere with voter registration efforts during a critical period. The Department of State later adjusted the maintenance window to 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., but the initial scheduling drew significant attention and criticism.
The rally, which drew thousands of attendees, included appearances by Trump, his running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and billionaire Elon Musk. Musk emphasized the importance of voter registration, urging attendees to register and vote in the upcoming election.
The event was marked by heightened security measures and a somber remembrance of the July 13 assassination attempt, which left one person dead and two others injured. Trump used the occasion to criticize Democratic leaders and promote his campaign, while Musk delivered a dark warning about the importance of voting.
