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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Friday that mail-in ballots with incorrect dates won’t be counted in the upcoming November election. This decision overturns a previous ruling made by a lower court.
The earlier ruling specifically mentioned only Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties, but the state’s Supreme Court argued that the lower court lacked the authority to make such a ruling.
“Huge victory for election integrity in Pennsylvania,” GOP Chairman Michael Whatley posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
This ruling is seen as a win for Republicans, but it faced criticism from the state’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU referred to the issue of misdated ballots as a “common, minor mistake” on the outer envelopes in a press release.
“Today’s decision is a setback for Pennsylvania voters, but we won’t stop fighting for them. These voters, who submitted their ballots on time, deserve to have their voices heard,” said Steve Loney, an attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “Voting is one of our most fundamental rights, and small errors shouldn’t take that away.”
Several community groups have filed lawsuits against Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State, Al Schmidt, and election officials in the two counties mentioned in the court case, according to the ACLU.
Three of the seven justices disagreed with the court’s decision.
Pennsylvania remains a key battleground in the upcoming election, with recent polling suggesting a tight race between Vice President Harris and former President Trump.