GOP Challenge in Pennsylvania Provisional Ballot Case Rejected by Supreme Court
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court voted 4–3 to allow voters to submit provisional ballots after improperly submitting mail-in ballots.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 1 rejected Republicans’ request to halt the effects of a state court’s decision allowing Pennsylvania voters to cast provisional ballots after they have improperly submitted mail-in ballots.
It’s unclear whether any justices voted to approve the request for relief. Justice Samuel Alito issued a statement in which he declined to say whether Republicans were right in asserting that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court violated provisions of the U.S. Constitution. His statement, which was joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, said that even if they agreed with Republicans’ arguments, “we could not prevent the consequences they fear.”
It added that staying the lower court’s judgment “would not impose any binding obligation on any of the Pennsylvania officials who are responsible for the conduct of this year’s election.”
The decision occurred less than a week before Pennsylvania voters head to the polls for the Nov. 5 elections.
This is a developing story. Updates will follow.
