Neil Makhija

08/25/2026

👇🏼

Today’s order is not a ruling on the merits. As Justice Sotomayor wrote, the decision does not address whether the President’s attempts to interfere with the 2026 elections are lawful — it ‘merely postpones’ that fight. And the Court itself acknowledged that implementing this scheme may still be unlawful.

But make no mistake about what’s at stake. The federal government cannot nationalize our elections. The Constitution is clear: elections are run by states and by local officials — people like the election workers here in Montgomery County who administer them with integrity every single year. The Post Office delivers mail. It does not decide who gets a ballot.

Justice Jackson warned that this decision fuels ‘pre-election chaos instead of quashing it,’ and that election officials are already bearing the consequences. She’s right — I’m one of them. With just weeks until ballots go out, last-minute federal interference sows chaos for the voters we serve.

We will continue to fight at every stage — including in the Supreme Court the moment they attempt to implement this — to make sure every eligible Pennsylvanian can cast their ballot by mail, free from federal interference.

08/12/2026

Great to meet so many incredible candidates running in rural PA at today’s Penn Ag Dems Summer Picnic. Montco is a huge county of 900K people. We’re not just suburban – we have over 31K acres of farmland and 600 farms. Thanks to county efforts, we’re proud that we’ve preserved one third of this farmland in perpetuity.

Across the state, candidates like Rick Telesz for State Rep PA-8, Vote Zangari, The Real McCoy for PA, and Kim Kohlhepp for PA are fighting the good fight in our rural communities. I’m proud to support them in this critical year as we try to build a majority that represents the interests of ordinary people.

Thanks to Scott Conklin, Peggy Lucas, and Dianne Gregg for your work putting together this wonderful event!

08/11/2026

Loved chatting midterms, AI, criminal justice, and Taylor Swift with a great group of Montco Young Dems at Gullifty's last night. Proud of the work Krishna Kahn, Anna Gullace, Fiona Dow, and others have done to build this org, and excited for what's next. And shoutout to Julian Ortiz for reciting every president for us — in order, backwards — from memory. I know a young Dem will top the list one day!

08/08/2026

Beautiful 40-mile morning on the trail. 🚴‍♂️☀️
 
At 7:30 a.m., I caught up with Montgomery County Park Ranger Shane Fairweather between Norristown and Bridgeport. Two years into the job, Shayne gets up at 5 a.m. to patrol our trails and help keep them safe for everyone. 
 
He told me most trail users are respectful, but the growing use of e-bikes is creating new enforcement challenges. If someone speeds off, rangers can’t simply chase them and risk putting everyone else on the trail in danger.
 
This requires teamwork. The County, municipalities, local police, and the DA’s Office all have a role to play in enforcement. Just as we enforce speed limits on our roads, occasional checks with local police can help keep our trails safe.
 
Rangers like Shane are doing a great job, but they can’t do it alone. Pennsylvania should also enact legislation regarding e-bikes, as New Jersey has done. We can’t have motorcycles speeding down our trails. Let’s keep them safe, beautiful, and accessible to everyone.

08/07/2026

Congrats to my fellow election official Jocelyn Benson, now the Democratic nominee for Michigan governor! Jocelyn has been a tireless advocate for voting rights – even as she’s faced personal threats and attacks from the White House. This fall, she’s up against an election denier trying to roll back our basic rights. Michigan needs her leadership now more than ever.

08/06/2026

We need to elect people who believe in facts! Margaret Burke for PA State Rep is an incredible person. Beyond her PhD in cell biology and MBA she has a record of two decades advocating for our communities. Her passion and authenticity inspire me. Last night at MCDWLI's fundraiser she shared about her kids and the future she's ready to fight for in the PA House. I’m with you 100% of the way — go Margaret!

07/31/2026

Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija defended Plymouth Township’s right to deny a data center from being built at the former Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill after a real estate developer challenged the township’s zoning ordinances.

The proposed 2 million-square-foot data center would have used 10 buildings on the 66 acre property, which sits right on the banks of the Schuylkill River and less than a mile away from the township’s center.

✏️: Sean Kitchen
📷: Commonwealth Media Services

07/24/2026

This November, the path to a new majority in Congress goes through Pennsylvania. 🇺🇸 🙏🏽 Thank you to all my friends and neighbors who showed up big to support PA’s “flippable four.” We’re all in to help Bob Harvie, Paige Cognetti, Bob Brooks, and Janelle Stelson get to Congress. We need a shakeup in DC. It happens by inviting and organizing everyone you know to get engaged, vote, donate, and volunteer. Change is coming if we make it happen.

07/18/2026

When the President of the United States once again attempts to cast doubt on our country’s elections, it’s a lie he tells to infringe on your hard-won right to vote.

As an election official in Pennsylvania, I'll say it again: our elections are secure. You’re more likely to get struck by lightning than to find an instance of voter fraud.

There are layers of security—physical, procedural, and cybersecurity—that safeguard every stage of the election process, from ballot preparation through certification. Every voting machine is tested.

We do two audits after every election, and we use hand counting to confirm the same results. Members of both parties participate with pride and reverence for this process.

The greatest threat to our election system is authoritarianism. When a sitting president casts doubt on elections, he's undermining a cornerstone of our democracy.

No matter the challenges or attempts to undermine public confidence in our elections, Montgomery County is committed to protecting the constitutional right of every eligible citizen to vote.

05/30/2026