Analysis from major news outlets and election results

Supreme Court Rejects GOP Appeal; Pennsylvania's Undated Mail-In Ballots Excluded, Provisional Votes Allowed

Nov 1, 2024, 11:13 PM

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that mail-in ballots lacking a proper date or with an incorrect date on the envelope—referred to as undated or misdated mail-in ballots—cannot be counted in the upcoming election. Additionally, the court blocked the counting of 'naked ballots,' which are ballots missing the mandatory inner secrecy envelope. In a significant decision just days before the election, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously declined to block the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, allowing voters whose defective mail-in ballots to cast provisional ballots on Election Day. The Republican National Committee had sought to prevent these provisional ballots from being counted, but the Supreme Court rejected the emergency appeal. Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch noted the narrowness of the ruling but did not dissent. The decision ensures that thousands of voters in the critical swing state will still have an opportunity for their votes to be counted.