9/26 Playbook: PA, DOJ Battle Over Voter Lists

September 26, 2025 | 8:04 AM EDT

Steve Ulrich

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????️ In Today’s Playbook. DOJ Sues State For Failure to Produce Voter Registration Lists. Pittsburgh’s ‘Jock Tax’ Is Unconstitutional. Should Pennsylvania’s Small Municipalities Pay For State Police Service? Dictionary With “Rizz”

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Top Story

1. DOJ Sues Pennsylvania For Failure to Produce Voter Registration Lists

“The battle over voter registration lists between Pennsylvania and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken another turn.

On Thursday, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced the filing of federal lawsuits against six states — California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania — for failure to produce their statewide voter registration lists upon request.

“Clean voter rolls are the foundation of free and fair elections,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Every state has a responsibility to ensure that voter registration records are accurate, accessible, and secure — states that don’t fulfill that obligation will see this Department of Justice in court.”” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

More Than $7 Million Has Poured Into the PA Supreme Court Judicial Retention Election So Far. “Approximately $7 million has already poured into Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court judicial retention election efforts as of Sept. 15, with state and national groups dumping millions into advertising the typically sleepy off-year affair, and trade unions and lawyers spending big as groups aligned with both parties seek to sway the power balance on the state’s highest court.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

PA Democrats Decry Jeffrey Yass Spending in Judicial Races, Compare Him to Elon Musk. “The protesters’ message was clear: Billionaire Jeffrey Yass is Pennsylvania’s very own Elon Musk, a fabulously wealthy powerbroker attempting to use his fortune to reshape democracy.” (WITF)

PA’s Richest Man Is Pouring Money In Upcoming Supreme Court Election. “Pennsylvania’s biggest billionaire has so far spent $1.25 million on a ‘vote no’ campaign in the upcoming Pa. Supreme Court race.” (The Keystone)

State

2. State Supreme Court Rules Pittsburgh’s ‘Jock Tax’ Is Unconstitutional

“The state’s highest court on Thursday ruled that Pittsburgh’s so-called “jock tax” — a 3% charge on the income of out-of-state athletes and performers who use the city’s three major sports venues — is unconstitutional, a ruling that could deliver a massive blow to the city’s already-precarious financial future.

The ruling puts at stake the more than $6 million the city anticipated bringing in from the tax in 2025 alone, and the implications could be even wider: Players and performers could seek reimbursement for the fees they’ve previously paid. All told, according to city Controller Rachael Heisler, the city has collected some $79 million in fees since the tax’s inception in 2005.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

Garrity Announces Short-Term Funding Relief In Lieu of Budget Resolution. “Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that the Department will make $500 million available for the state’s Head Start providers and county governments.” (PoliticsPA)

Are PA Governor Mansion Repairs Going Beyond What Insurance Will Cover? Shapiro Admin Won’t Say. “Those repairs have so far cost just over $6 million in taxpayer dollars. The Shapiro administration has shielded information about nearly a quarter of those expenses, including what the money was spent on, and in some instances, even who was paid for work there.” (Spotlight PA)

Pittsburgh Vigil For Charlie Kirk Blends Faith, Prayer and Republican Politics. “Partisan messages were never far away, perhaps fittingly for a man who himself blended faith and politics throughout his public life. Some attendees wore bright-red “Make America Great Again” hats, others wore shirts emblazoned with pictures of Trump with his fist in the air, moments after he survived an assassination attempt at a Butler County rally last year.” (WESA Politics)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Should Pennsylvania’s Small Municipalities Pay For State Police Service?

“A Pennsylvania lawmaker is reviving a longstanding debate over whether to start billing townships that lean on state troopers rather than funding their own police forces.

Rep. Justin Fleming, a Dauphin County Democrat, suggests that system isn’t fair to taxpayers who support the Pennsylvania State Police while also paying for their own local police departments. ” (USA Today Network)

Elsewhere

Stacy Garrity Brings Her Campaign For Pennsylvania Governor to ‘Bellwether’ Bucks County. “For Republicans gathered in Bucks County Thursday night, President Donald Trump’s win in the swing county in 2024 has given them confidence they can keep Bucks red in future elections, including next year for Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Penn State-Oregon Is A Big Game. It’s Also Big Business Showcasing ‘The New Economics Of College Sports.’ “With players earning millions on the field, massive TV revenues backing the action and fans paying top dollar to attend this year’s Penn State White Out, Saturday night’s matchup will provide a showcase for the new era of college football.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Race to Watch: What Bucks County Voters Need to Know About Sheriff Fred Harran and Democratic Challenger Danny Ceisler. “Ceisler is critical of Harran’s collaboration with federal immigration officials, while Harran says it’s a “common-sense, targeted tool.”” (WHYY)

‘Ready to Fight Like Hell’: Gerlach Kicks Off State House Bid. “Allentown City Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach is eyeing a new seat. Gerlach on Thursday formally threw her hat into the race to serve Allentown and part of Salisbury Township in the state House of Representatives.” (LehighValleyNews)

Editorial

4. What Do You Think?

Trump and the GOP Are Sticking Pennsylvanians With a Massive Healthcare bill | Chiquita Brooks-LaSure
Pennsylvania Can’t Continue to Aid People Who Don’t Need Help | Brian Rasel
Pennsylvania Is Building An AI Empire – Who’s Next? | Christen Smith
Nuclear Power’s Revival Brings Life Back to Central PA Communities | Dave Marcheskie
Pennsylvania Has a Golden Opportunity to Transform Education Funding | William E. Harner
Installing Broadband is Expensive – and L&I Isn’t Helping | Elizabeth Stelle
Trump Derangement Syndrome is a Very Real Thing | Stew Bolno

1 Thing

5. Dictionary With “Rizz”

“’Beast mode,” “rizz” and “dad bod” are among the new additions to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

5,000 new words were added for the dictionary’s 12th edition — its first hardcover update in more than 20 years.

They include “cold brew,” “doomscroll” and “petrichor” — which is the pleasant smell of a much-needed rain.” (AP)

Thanks for starting your Friday with us.
Enjoy your weekend and we’ll be back on Monday

Steve Ulrich

Ulrich has worked as managing editor of PoliticsPA since January 2022 after spending two years as the Director of Elections in York (Pa.) County. Prior to that, he spent 35 years as a college athletics administrator. Send email to [email protected]