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Pennsylvania court extends presidential mail ballot deadline in pandemic | Reuters
(Reuters) - Pennsylvania’s top court ruled on Thursday that state officials dealing with a surge in mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic can accept them up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, as long as they were mailed by Election Day.
The ruling granted a request by the state Democratic Party that arose in part from concerns that postal delivery delays could disenfranchise voters in the contest between President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of important swing states that both parties consider crucial to winning this year’s election.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that late ballots can be accepted if they are postmarked by Election Day, or if they lack a legible postmark, “unless a preponderance of the evidence demonstrates that it was mailed after Election Day.”
Like other states, Pennsylvania saw a deluge of mail-in ballots during its primary election in June, as voters stayed home due to the coronavirus, delaying official results in several close races by days or weeks.
The court also ruled that state law allows counties to collect absentee ballots using drop boxes and upheld a statute requiring poll watchers to reside in the county where they are stationed. In both cases, Republicans had sought to overturn those provisions.
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Great news for those of us who live in PA. I expect Trump to file suit to block this as PA is a key state in the electoral college.
(Reuters) - Pennsylvania’s top court ruled on Thursday that state officials dealing with a surge in mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic can accept them up to three days after the Nov. 3 election, as long as they were mailed by Election Day.
The ruling granted a request by the state Democratic Party that arose in part from concerns that postal delivery delays could disenfranchise voters in the contest between President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of important swing states that both parties consider crucial to winning this year’s election.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that late ballots can be accepted if they are postmarked by Election Day, or if they lack a legible postmark, “unless a preponderance of the evidence demonstrates that it was mailed after Election Day.”
Like other states, Pennsylvania saw a deluge of mail-in ballots during its primary election in June, as voters stayed home due to the coronavirus, delaying official results in several close races by days or weeks.
The court also ruled that state law allows counties to collect absentee ballots using drop boxes and upheld a statute requiring poll watchers to reside in the county where they are stationed. In both cases, Republicans had sought to overturn those provisions.
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Great news for those of us who live in PA. I expect Trump to file suit to block this as PA is a key state in the electoral college.
