Supreme Court Upholds Pennsylvanias Provisional Ballot Policy Amid Republican Challenge

Supreme Court Rejects Republican Bid to Bar Some Provisional Ballots in Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has rejected a Republican appeal, allowing a Pennsylvania court decision to stand. This decision permits individuals to cast provisional ballots when their mail-in votes are rejected for not adhering to technical procedures outlined in state law.

The court’s decision was released on Friday, following an “apparent software malfunction” that prematurely sent out notifications about orders intended for release on Monday. This technological error mirrors a similar incident last year when an opinion was posted ahead of schedule.

The appeal was filed by the Republican National Committee, the state GOP, and the Republican-majority election board in Butler County. Pennsylvania’s highest court ruled last year that the county must count provisional ballots cast by two voters after their mail-in ballots were invalidated for arriving without the required secrecy envelopes.

Pennsylvania Democrats had urged the Supreme Court to refrain from intervening in the case.