A court in Pennsylvania has ruled to temporarily block the enforcement of a requirement for voters to include handwritten dates on envelopes used to submit mail-in ballots. This ruling is expected to prevent the disqualification of several thousand votes in the upcoming November election. Commonwealth Court made a 4-1 decision, citing that disqualifying voters for missing dates on envelopes violates the state constitution’s principle of ensuring “free and equal” elections.
The court ruled in favor of groups that challenged the requirement, arguing that rejecting ballots over minor paperwork errors infringes on the fundamental right to vote as outlined in the Pennsylvania Constitution. The decision comes at a crucial time as Pennsylvania is a battleground state in the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
While the number of ballots at risk of disqualification for lacking dates is relatively small compared to the total votes cast in the state, evidence suggests that older voters and Democrats are disproportionately affected. The dissenting opinion criticized the majority for disregarding legal precedent and altering the law on mail-in voting.
The lawsuit named the secretary of state and election boards in Philadelphia and Allegheny County as defendants, with support from Democratic Party groups. Governor Josh Shapiro praised the ruling as a victory for voters’ rights, while the Secretary of State’s office is yet to comment on the implications for county election guidance.
The Department of State stated that dating envelopes holds no administrative purpose when the arrival and receipt of ballots can be confirmed within the legal voting period. The decision to suspend the requirement is likely to be appealed by the state and national Republican Party groups involved in the case.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit included various organizations advocating for voter empowerment and civil liberties, who argued that election officials can verify timely ballot submissions through existing scanning and timestamping processes. The ACLU of Pennsylvania commended the court’s decision, emphasizing that no voter should lose their voice due to a minor error unrelated to the validity of their ballot.
