Share this @internewscast.com

Mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania without accurate handwritten dates on their exterior envelopes must still be counted if they are received in time, a judge ruled Tuesday, concluding that rejecting such ballots violates federal civil rights law.

The decision has implications for the 2024 presidential election in a key battleground state where Democrats have been far more likely to vote by mail than Republicans.

In the latest lawsuit filed over a 2019 state voting law, U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter ruled that county boards of election may no longer reject mail ballots that lack accurate, handwritten dates on their return envelopes. Baxter said the date — which is required by state law — is irrelevant in helping elections officials decide whether the ballot was received in time or whether the voter is qualified to cast a ballot.

The GOP has repeatedly fought in court to get such ballots thrown out, part of a campaign to invalidate mail-in ballots and mail-in voting in Pennsylvania after then-President Donald Trump baselessly claimed in 2020 that mail balloting was rife with fraud.

The judge, a Trump appointee, sided with several Pennsylvania groups represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that refusing to count such ballots “because of a trivial paperwork error” disenfranchises voters and violates provisions of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, which states that immaterial errors or omissions should not be used to prevent voting.

The suit was filed by state chapters of the NAACP, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Black Political Empowerment Project and other groups.

“Throwing out valid votes because of a minor paperwork error is undemocratic and illegal,” Ari Savitzky, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in a written statement Tuesday. “This ruling ensures that Pennsylvanians who vote by mail, including senior citizens and voters with disabilities, will not face disenfranchisement because of a trivial mistake in handwriting an irrelevant date on the outer return envelope.”

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids states from denying the right to vote “because of an error or omission on any record or paper” if the error is irrelevant in determining whether the person is qualified to vote in the election.

In Pennsylvania’s case, elections officials do not use the date on the outer envelope to determine whether the vote should be counted, the judge said.

“The important date for casting the ballot is the date the ballot is received. Here, the date on the outside envelope was not used by any of the county boards to determine when a voter’s mail ballot was received in the November 2022 election,” Baxter wrote.

In that election, more than 7,600 mail ballots in 12 counties were tossed because the outer envelope lacked a date or had an incorrect date, according to the decision. Those counties were among the defendants in the suit.

The Pennsylvania Department of State under Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, which oversees elections statewide, said in a statement that it is reviewing the court’s decision, “but we are pleased with the result.”

The status of ballots without properly dated envelopes has been repeatedly litigated since the use of mail-in voting greatly expanded in Pennsylvania under a state law passed in 2019.

In November 2022, the state Supreme Court unanimously barred officials from counting such votes, directing county boards of elections to “segregate and preserve” those ballots. But the justices were split over whether making the envelope dates mandatory under state law would violate provisions of federal civil rights law — the issue at play in Tuesday’s federal court ruling.

The Department of State has said the state court decision to bar mail-in ballots without accurate handwritten dates resulted in otherwise valid votes being thrown out. The agency said more than 16,000 mail-in ballots in the 2022 midterm election were disqualified by county officials because they lacked secrecy envelopes or proper signatures or dates.

Democratic voters made up more than two-thirds of the total cancelled ballots.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in May 2022 that the dates are not mandatory, but the U.S. Supreme Court then deemed that decision moot, prompting the lawsuit that was decided Tuesday.

National and state Republican committees argued the date requirement is useful in detecting fraud and that the materiality provision of the Civil Rights Act was inapplicable. An email message was sent to the GOP’s lawyers seeking comment on Tuesday’s decision.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Freed Gaza Prisoner Reveals “Hell Beneath the Ground”

Inside Gaza’s Underground Nightmare: A Former Detainee’s Harrowing Tale

A recently freed Palestinian detainee has delivered devastating testimony detailing what he…
One hospitalized after suspected shooting at Austin public library prompting massive police response

Suspected Shooting at Austin Library Triggers Major Police Response, One Person Hospitalized

A serious incident unfolded at the Austin Central Library in Texas on…
Independent NJ candidate’s martial arts theatrics shakes up township meeting

Martial Arts Moves by Independent NJ Candidate Stir Excitement at Township Meeting

It felt less like a conventional town hall meeting and more akin…
SNAP benefits November: Donald Trump admin. won't tap contingency fund for food aid amid government shutdown 2025, memo says

Trump Administration Withholds SNAP Contingency Funds During 2025 Government Shutdown, Memo Reveals

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has decided against using approximately $5 billion…
Hormel recalls 4.8M pounds of frozen chicken after multiple metal contamination reports

Hormel Initiates Recall of 4.8 Million Pounds of Frozen Chicken Due to Metal Contamination Concerns

Hormel Foods has chosen to withdraw several of its frozen chicken offerings…
'No Kings' protests largely comprised of people from one demographic: experts

Experts Reveal Predominant Demographic in ‘No Kings’ Protest Movement

At last weekend’s “No Kings” protest in Washington, D.C., the sight of…
Progressive Zohran Mamdani taking his case directly to Fox News’ conservative viewers

Progressive Powerhouse Zohran Mamdani Faces Fox News: A Bold Move to Connect with Conservative Viewers

Zohran Mamdani, a leading Democratic mayoral candidate known for his democratic socialist…
'I am not done': Kamala Harris hints at another White House bid

Kamala Harris Teases 2024 White House Run: ‘I Am Not Done’ Signals Potential Presidential Campaign

In a recent interview with the BBC, former Vice President Kamala Harris…
DC sniper's ex-wife reveals his chilling threat before killing spree

Ex-Wife of DC Sniper Discloses Ominous Warning Prior to Deadly Rampage

Dr. Mildred Muhammad found herself on a chilling hit list, targeted for…
A General Dilemma the War Department Must Remedy

War Department Faces Critical Challenge Needing Resolution

In the iconic film “White Christmas,” a song poses a poignant question…
Chicago Halloween events: Pet costumes on display at 38th Annual Streeterville Dog Halloween Party at Museum of Contemporary Art

Unleash the Spooky Fun: 38th Annual Streeterville Dog Halloween Party at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art

CHICAGO (WLS) — This past weekend, Chicago was the stage for a…
Chicago volunteers collecting food at El Pollo Cris Cris on SW Side for those in need amid high prices, looming SNAP benefits halt

Local Volunteers Rally at El Pollo Cris Cris to Support Families Facing Rising Costs and SNAP Uncertainty

CHICAGO — As inflation continues to push prices skyward, many families are…