Pennsylvania Court Upholds Mail Ballot Rules

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that mail ballots returned with incorrect or missing dates cannot be counted, a decision that Republicans see as a victory ahead of the presidential election. This ruling follows an emergency appeal from the Republican National Committee (RNC) to prevent a lower court's finding, which had allowed the counting of misdated ballots in a prior special election. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a Republican effort to halt the counting of provisional ballots cast by voters who made errors on their mail-in ballots, affirming a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that allows these voters a second chance. Additionally, challenges against over 200 mail-in ballot applications, primarily from Democratic voters, were rejected by Chester County election officials amidst accusations of voter suppression tactics. The ongoing legal battles surrounding mail-in voting procedures in Pennsylvania raise concerns about voter enfranchisement and the integrity of the electoral process as the election approaches.