Pennsylvania Supreme Court Upholds Mail Ballot Rules

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that mail-in ballots must have accurate handwritten dates on their envelopes or they will be rejected, a decision that could disenfranchise thousands of voters in the upcoming November election. This ruling, which overturned a prior Commonwealth Court decision that deemed the dating requirement unconstitutional, highlighted jurisdictional issues due to the plaintiffs not including all 67 counties in their lawsuit. The court's decision raises concerns as historically, many rejected ballots have belonged to Democratic voters and the elderly. Legal challenges regarding the mail-in voting process are ongoing, and counties are currently unable to distribute ballots as they await a certified list of candidates. The Secretary of State will finalize and certify candidates following the resolution of these legal challenges. The implications of this ruling have significant potential to affect voter turnout in a critical swing state during a close presidential race.