The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected requests to immediately change the rules for mail-in voting ahead of the November election, stating that it is too close to Election Day to alter existing laws. One petition sought to end mail ballot dating requirements while the other aimed to stop policies in counties that allowed voters to fix errors with their mail ballots. The court’s decision means that the rules for mail-in voting will likely remain unchanged for the upcoming election, providing clarity for voters and election officials.
Despite the rejection of the petitions, there are still pending cases related to mail ballot issues in the courts. One involves voters in Philadelphia who cast improperly dated mail ballots during a special election last month. The ACLU of Pennsylvania and Public Interest Law Center are arguing that the requirement to manually date mail ballots violates the state constitution.
The court’s rulings on Saturday indicate a desire to avoid making late changes to voting rules, particularly during an ongoing election. The court faced criticism in 2020 for rulings perceived as changing election rules late in the game. While the court will still consider election cases that come through the normal appeals process, it is urging for issues to be resolved before the next election. This decision provides clarity on mail-in voting rules for the November election, avoiding any last-minute changes that could potentially impact the outcome.
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