As Trump Files Suit, 'Count Every Vote' Billboards Up In Montco

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — As the final vote tallies continue to be tabulated in Montgomery County and across Pennsylvania and President Trump seeks to cast doubt on the validity of the count, a group of Republicans has paid for billboards throughout the region reading "Count Every Vote."

The group, Republicans for the Rule of Law, says the signs represent an important reminder of the most fundamental aspect of our democracy.

"This is Civics 101," Sarah Longwell, strategic director of Republican Voters Against Trump, said in a statement. “First the candidates make their cases to the people and ask for their votes. Then the people vote. Then the votes are counted to determine who won the election. It has worked for over 200 years, and there’s no reason to change it now."

The digital billboards are up in seven municipalities across Montgomery County, and more than 100 are up in Pennsylvania. They'll be running through the middle of next week.

>>Montco Completes Early Mail-In Ballot Count, Biden Earns Huge Win

All mail-in ballots received by 8 p.m. Tuesday have been counted in Montgomery County, showing that former Vice President Joe Biden significantly improved on Hillary Clinton's margin of victory in the county in 2016. But the count here is not yet complete: some 3,378 ballots have been received after 8 p.m., and they can continue to be counted through Friday, Nov. 6.

Counting late-received ballots is just one issue that President Trump and some Republicans are looking to bring up in court. Though the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn a ruling allowing for this three-day count extension last month, the Trump campaign sued to stop the vote count in Pennsylvania for that reason on Wednesday.

Republican Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale said Wednesday that he told county elections officials to separate all of the mail-in ballots received after 8 p.m. Tuesday, calling it an "urgent matter."

"If these late arriving mail-in ballots are not segregated, Montgomery County will fail to be in compliance with election law if the legislative deadline is enforced," Gale said.

Commissioner Ken Lawrence said in a news conference Wednesday afternoon that those ballots were being tabulated separately.

"Count every vote" has become a rallying cry in recent days for both Democrats and those concerned over what they see as efforts to delegitimize the election.

The billboards put up by the Republican Voters Against Trump include these locations:

• Pottstown: Route 422 near Route 100
• Plymouth Meeting: I-276, PA Turnpike near Butler Pike
• Montgomeryville: Route 309
• Pottsgrove: Route 10 near State Road
• Plymouth: I-276, PA Turnpike near Conshohocken Road
• Ft Washington: I-276, PA Turnpike near Route 309
• Huntington Valley: I-276, PA Turnpike near County Line Road

>>Judge Casts Doubt On Barnette Lawsuit Against Montco Over Ballots

Beyond the challenge over the late deadline in Pennsylvania, Montgomery County-specific litigation is in federal court. Congressional candidate in Pennsylvania's 4th District, Kathy Barnette, has filed suit against Montgomery County over alleged "pre-canvassing" of ballots, wherein officials notified voters of ballot errors so that they could correct them. A hearing was held Wednesday.