Pennsylvania Supreme Court Reverses Mail-in Ballot Ruling

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed a lower court's decision, impacting mail-in ballot regulations in the state's two most populous counties. The ruling prevents elections officials from discarding ballots due to incorrect envelope dates, unless further court interventions occur. This has significant implications for the upcoming tight presidential race.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court's nearly two-week-old ruling that had barred the state's two largest counties from discarding mail-in votes due to incorrect envelope dates.

The high court ruled that the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania 'lacked subject matter jurisdiction to review the matter,' a court filing revealed. The Republican Party welcomed the decision, while voting rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, consider pursuing additional legal actions, labeling the verdict as a 'setback for Pennsylvania voters.'

This development is critical as Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential elections, where Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris faces Republican former President Donald Trump. This ruling implies election officials will not be counting misdated ballots unless further court interventions occur before the elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)