Commonwealth Court says rejecting mail-in ballots without a date violates the Pa. Constitution

Penn Capital Star ^ | August 30, 2024 | Peter Hall

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

State and county election officials violated the Pennsylvania Constitution by refusing to count mail-in ballots with missing or incorrect dates, a Commonwealth Court panel ruled Friday.

In a 4-1 majority decision in favor of eight nonpartisan voting rights groups, the panel found that the requirement for mail-in ballots to have a handwritten date on the outer envelope serves no compelling governmental purpose.

Guidance by Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, following earlier court rulings upholding the requirement, that instructed county boards of elections not to count ballots without a date is a violation of voters’ rights, the majority said.

“Simply put, the refusal to count undated or incorrectly dated but timely received mail ballots submitted by otherwise eligible voters because of meaningless and inconsequential paperwork errors violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in and guaranteed by the free and equal elections clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution,” Judge Ellen Ceisler wrote for the majority.

The decision can be appealed to the state Supreme Court.

[BlackFemaleArmyColonel]

The RNC/Repubs better have a plan. The Demonrats are going for the steal again.

[Ge0ffrey]

“eight nonpartisan voting rights groups”

Name them.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Let’s hear it for people who can’t follow directions! The Commonwealth Court has your backs!

[toddausauras]

Utter madness.

[Alberta's Child]

I’m surprised this case is still being litigated. The date requirement on the outer envelope is pointless on its face, and is far less important than about three dozen other aspects of Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting law.

[R_Kangel]

..... Well .... In a sane and logical world .... Incomplete forms for pretty much everything are rejected .... Unless, of course, its a voting ballot in PA or any other Blue State ... (I bet that's the reason those states always stay blue) .....

.

[taterjay]

Does an expired driver license mean anything then???

[lightman]

Pennsylvania Ping!

Please ping me with articles of interest.

FReepmail me to be added to the list.

[Deaf Smith]

“eight nonpartisan voting rights groups…

Who all happen to be Leftist.

[RoseofTexas]

The only option we have is to do as our enemies do OR we’ll never win another presidential election ever! Election corruption is turning our nation into another socialist controlled elections that favor only one party forever. Like Victor Hanson said on Megan Kelly once you vote socialism in YOU’LL NEVER GET RID OF IT! Example: Venezuela and Brazil!

[vpintheak]

Communist courts allow stealing people votes to get the “correct” results.

[RoseofTexas]

Notice how close their ruling are to the election… no time for trump team to file in courts. Bastards are evil and extremely devious.

[Alberta's Child]

In the case of a ballot, the date isn’t even on a “form.” It’s on an outside envelope that is going to: (1) have a postmark, and/or (2) be delivered by the ballot deadline anyway.

The Pennsylvania statute that covers this is so half-assed that it doesn’t even specify WHICH date is supposed to be put on the envelope. So some counties were following the exact letter of the law and accepting mail-in ballots that had dates on the envelopes that were clearly wrong (Pearl Harbor day, 7/4/1776, February 30th, etc.).

[philman_36]

Name them.

THE COMMONWEALTH COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Black Political Empowerment Project,
POWER Interfaith,
Make the Road Pennsylvania,
OnePA Activists United,
New PA Project Education Fund,
Casa San José,
Pittsburgh United,
League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania,
and Common Cause Pennsylvania, :
Petitioners

[philman_36]

All you had to do was pick the hyperlink in the article to go to the case.

[PghBaldy]

PA voted for Trump in 2016 (and probably 2020, too).

[Ge0ffrey]

Not very non partisan

[Reeses]

Mail-Order Presidents: now on sale! No signature required. Warning: contents may have somewhat melted from global warming.

[philman_36]

Nope.

[napscoordinator]

You can vote with an expired drivers license up to 4 years.