By counting only votes that meet state requirements, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Monday that all counties must abide by jury law and the state election script. The choice comes a month after county officials flagrantly defied the law by counting ballots that were allegedly dated in order to defeat Bob Casey, the current Republican leader in the state of Pennsylvania.
Some county election boards announced they intended to count mail-in ballots that were mailed poorly and had no date or inappropriate date written on the exterior envelope while a recount is still being conducted for the Pennsylvania Senate race between Republican nominee Dave McCormick and the loser, Republican Dave McCormick, who is currently leading by a slim margin. Both are required by law, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court mandated that absentee ballots been counted in accordance with the election’s rules.
In defiance of the rules and the state supreme court, the elections board in Money, Montgomery, Center, and Philadelphia counties declared in open meetings that they had decided to qualify for ballots. Democratic candidates who attended these conferences also urged board to count votes that unregulated voters deemed to have cast. The boards in Dollars and Montgomery Counties decided to revisit earlier rejected temporary ballots.
Before casting a ballot to count illegal ballots, Bucks County Democratic Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said,” Precedent by a court does n’t matter anymore in this country, and people can break laws whenever they want.” Out audible. In a common gathering.
Different regions made the exact law-defying choice.
The commissioners in Monroe County initially voted to depend unpublished and erroneous ballots, but they did so without going to court, according to Sara May-Silfee, director of votes and voter registrations in Monroe County, in an email.
The Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania fought back and demanded that regions obey state laws.  ,
The court’s decision stated that” [i]ncluding the Board of Elections in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County, SHALL COMPLY with the previous rulings of this Court where we clarified that mail-in and absentee ballots that violate the Pennsylvania Election Code… SHALL NOT BE COUNTED for the purposes of the vote held on November 5, 2024″ (emphasis unique ).
The Election Code requires absentee and mail-in delegates to time the declaration on vote return envelopes, which Pennsylvania law requires, further explains Monday’s decision.
Despite the state supreme court ruling before the election, in a speech sent by the president’s office to the Federalist following the ruling, Democrat Gov. No matter what their decision was, regional leaders, according to Josh Shapiro, were unsure of the condition and faced legal action.
Following the determination, the McCormick plan issued a speech.
” Today’s decision is a huge loss to Senator Casey’s try to count improper votes. In an effort to assist Senator Casey, Bucks County and some clearly violated the law. Senator-elect McCormick is “very pleased with this decision and looks forward to taking the Oath of Office in a few small days,” said Elizabeth Gregory, McCormick communications director, via internet.
County officials were also issued a statement following the ruling, warning them that there are” no more excuses.”
” Election officials in Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and other regions have absolutely no choice but to accept illegal vote. We did keep them to it, “he wrote.
The Federalist’s Beth Brelje is a journalist for elections. She is an award-winning analytical columnist with years of internet experience.