HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania judge sided with Donald Trump’s campaign Wednesday and agreed to expand in-person voting in suburban Philadelphia, where long lines on the final day led to complaints that voters were being disenfranchised by an unprepared election office.

Judge Jeffrey Trauger said in a one-page order that Bucks County voters who want to request an early absentee ballot now have until Friday.

The Trump campaign’s lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday morning, comes amid a wave of litigation and complaints over voting in a country state that is expected to play a central role in selecting the next president in the election of 2024.

The lawsuit asked for a one-day extension, until Wednesday at 5 p.m., so voters could request an absentee ballot in person. The judge’s order allows requests until the close of business Friday.

A message seeking comment was left with a Bucks County government spokesperson.

Neighboring Lehigh County asked a judge Tuesday to extend the deadline by one day, to Wednesday, because road closures in downtown Allentown around the Trump rally blocked access to the election office . The judge agreed.

In Bucks County, the Trump campaign’s lawsuit said people who stood in line before Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline to apply in person for an absentee ballot should have been allowed to get a ballot, even after the deadline. However, the Bucks County Elections Office denied voters this right and ordered them to leave, according to the lawsuit.

“This is a direct violation of Pennsylvanians’ right to vote – and all voters have the right to STAY in line,” the Trump campaign said in a statement.

The Republican National Committee and the campaign of Republican Senate candidate David McCormick have joined the lawsuit against Bucks County, where Democrats control the government in a county that is narrowly politically divided and often considered a political bellwether.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration had urged counties to allow every voter who was in line before the 5 p.m. deadline to submit an absentee ballot request. In response to criticism and misinformation on social media Tuesday, Bucks County said all voters in line before 5 p.m. Tuesday would be allowed to request an absentee ballot.

Bucks County officials did not immediately comment Wednesday.

Pennsylvania does not allow early voting on voting machines at polling places, as some states do.

But Bucks County, like other Pennsylvania counties, allows voters to request an absentee ballot in person at the elections office and receive it there, a lengthy process and pushed to the limit by exhortations from Trump to his supporters to come out. and vote before Tuesday’s deadline. Voters can also fill it out and return it to the office.

Voters waited up to three hours Tuesday. Those still in line at 5 p.m. were told to go home, according to the lawsuit.

In neighboring Lehigh County, a steady stream of voters took advantage of the one-day extension Wednesday, heading to the basement of the voter registration office in Allentown to request an absentee ballot, fill it out and return it. Election workers explained the process as voters stepped off the elevator into a crowded hallway.

“There are great representatives here telling everyone what to do, how to do it. Everything is going well. I’m delighted to be here,” said Jeanne Birosik, a Republican voter, while waiting for poll workers. prepare your mail. ballot.

Birosik usually votes on Election Day, but in 2020, she said, she showed up at her polling place and was wrongly told she had already voted. She then filled out a provisional ballot, but didn’t want to leave anything to chance for this election.

“It seemed like a safer way to do it,” she said.

Her husband, Chris Birosik, 62, who was also there to vote, said they hadn’t considered dropping off their ballots by mail weeks ago — too risky, in his opinion.

“I just feel more confident that we’re getting there and doing it this way,” he said.

The early voting angst in Bucks County is the latest regarding voting in Pennsylvania, which has the most electoral votes of any battleground state and is by far the most visited state by Democratic and Republican presidential candidates this year. The run-up to the state’s vote was marked by numerous battles over mail-in ballots, some ending up at the doors of the U.S. Supreme Court.