Controversy over Pennsylvania’s mail ballot requirements has resulted in a court ruling ahead of November’s presidential election.
On Friday, an appellate court in Pennsylvania ruled that not counting a voter’s mailed ballot because they failed to properly date the return envelope violates their rights under the state constitution.
Republicans have said they will appeal the decision. The court’s ruling could impact the outcome of close races across the state of Pennsylvania. The ruling was decided with a 4 to 1 decision.
“The refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in the free and equal elections clause,” Judge Ellen Ceisler wrote for the majority.
Act 77, Pennsylvania’s mail voting law, was implemented in 2020. The case brought by civil rights groups is the latest challenge to the dating requirement since Act 77 was signed into law.
While some support the ruling as a win for the right to vote in Pennsylvania, others deem it harmful to election integrity in the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania GOP and the Republican National Committee have challenged the ruling. A spokeswoman for the RNC said, “Courts should not undermine election confidence and integrity by striking down commonsense election laws enacted by the people’s representatives.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X that the court “got it right”. He said the decision “is a victory for Pennsylvanians’ fundamental right to vote.”
Reports indicate that during the April primary, counties rejected roughly 1.22% of those returned for failing to meet one or more of the standards set by Act 77. More than 4,400 of those rejected were thrown out for dating issues.
