The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 9, 2023
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket – Pennsylvania Senate Primary Undated Ballots Challenge
Spotlight PA – Why are undated mail ballots such a big deal in Pennsylvania?
ADM – Undated Mail-In Ballots Case Impacts PA U.S. Senate Race
ADM – SCOTUS Allows Undated Ballots, but Dissent Shows Some Justices Unfriendly to Voters
ADM – Not Counting Undated Absentee Ballots May Have Determined Outcome in PA House Race
Groups Taking Action:
New Pennsylvania Project, PA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP, ACLU PA, Black Empowerment Project, League of Women Voters PA, Make the Road PA
Today’s Script: (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
We reported last year on the struggle in Pennsylvania over the rejection of thousands of undated mail-in ballots. Here’s an update, and tomorrow, we’ll tell you more about the fight to fix it.
In Pennsylvania, a mail-in ballot’s envelope has a place to sign and date it as mandated by state law. Initially, election officials rejected signed but undated ballots which had arrived on time. Lawsuits arose during the close U.S. Senate primary, and a state court ruled they COULD be counted. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court refused the case, clearing the way to count the primary ballots. Then on Nov. 6th, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that under current state law, undated general election ballots could NOT be counted.
Meanwhile, state and national Republican groups filed suit to outlaw the “curing” of ballots without dates, signatures and other easily fixable issues. In late October, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed a ruling allowing voters to fix their ballots before the deadline.
The Associated Press analyzed the data on over 16,000 rejected Pennsylvania ballots. They found that 7,904 ballots were rejected for lack of a signature or date on the inner envelope. And 8,250 ballots were rejected because the ballot was not inserted in a secrecy ballot.
More tomorrow on legislation aimed at improving Pennsylvania voting. Find links, articles & resources at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.