“The deadline for mail ballot arrival and the authorization for mass mail ballots were explicitly written as non-severable.”
Written by the PA legislature?
I was not aware that the PA legislature authorized mass mail-in ballots.
But your theory is very encouraging
“the small number of mail ballots that have arrived since Tuesday”
of course, the relevant numbers are purposely fuzzy (just as with covid).
note the date and time of the following piece, which tells you nothing, given it doesn’t explain the exact time and date the details relate to.
however, it would suggest approx. 1,9million mail-in ballots would arrive THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. plus it suggests the information for this piece was being compiled as THE CLOCK TICKED TOWARD MIDNIGHT.
every ballot received after 8pm are late ballots:
November 4, 2020 2:27 pm: KYW NEWS RADIO: Philly mail-in ballot count continues; Pa. voters reminded results will take time
By Hadas Kuznits and Jim Melwert
Commissioner Lisa Deeley said about 350,000 mail-in ballots are in the building, with more expected to be brought in throughout the night from the mail and drop boxes...
As the clock ticked toward midnight, state Senate Republican leaders called on Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to resign, accusing her of changing guidance and, in their words, undermining public confidence in the election...
It’s easy to see why mail-in ballots are so contested — 1.65 million mail-in ballots returned in Pennsylvania are from registered Democrats, compared to 600,000 from Republicans (approx. 2,25million mail-in ballots in total)...
https://www.radio.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/officials-count-mail-in-ballots-at-pa-convention-center
I may be mistating their actions, but my understanding is they significantly liberalized what had been allowed for mail in voting, but included an 8pm election day arrival deadline in the same bill with those two, amongst several other nonseverable clauses.