Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is siding with the state’s excessive court docket after the justices dominated that defective mail-in ballots can’t be counted amid a contentious recount, delivering a victory to Republican Occasion officers.
The state Supreme Courtroom reaffirmed its prior determination in a 4–3 ruling Monday that counties can’t depend incorrectly dated or undated ballots. The choice singled out the Boards of Elections in Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County, whom they mentioned “SHALL COMPLY with the prior rulings of this Courtroom through which we now have clarified” for mail-in and absentee ballots of their Nov. 1 ruling.
“Any insinuation that our legal guidelines will be ignored or don’t matter is irresponsible and does harm to religion in our electoral course of,” mentioned Shapiro, a Democrat. “The rule of legislation issues in Pennsylvania. … It’s vital for counties in each events to respect it with each their rhetoric and their actions.”
As governor, Shapiro mentioned he would “proceed working to guard our democracy and the votes of all eligible Pennsylvanians.”
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks earlier than Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. On Monday, Shapiro sided with the Pennsylvania Supreme Courtroom over its ruling in regards to the counting of defective mail-in ballots. (AP Photograph/Joe Lamberti)
The excessive court docket initially dominated on Nov. 1 that mail-in ballots with out formally required signatures or dates shouldn’t be counted. Democratic-led election boards, nevertheless — together with in Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Centre County — balked on the ruling and voted to incorporate such ballots within the recount.
“Individuals violate legal guidelines any time they need,” Democratic Bucks County commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia mentioned final week, in accordance with the Philadelphia Inquirer. “So, for me, if I violate this legislation it’s as a result of I desire a court docket to concentrate. There’s nothing extra vital than counting votes.”
Monday’s ruling got here amid a slew of lawsuits filed by Republican Occasion officers within the midst of an aggressive Senate recount effort following the slender victory of GOP candidate David McCormick over three-term Democrat Sen. Bob Casey.
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The Pennsylvania Supreme Courtroom reaffirmed its prior determination in a 4–3 ruling Monday that counties can’t depend incorrectly dated or undated ballots. (AP Photograph/Matt Rourke)
McCormick had defeated Casey by some 17,000 ballots within the state, or throughout the 0.5% margin of error. The slender victory allowed Casey to qualify for an automated recount beneath Pennsylvania legislation.
The Republican Nationwide Committee criticized Shapiro for not talking up sooner in protection of the court docket’s actions.
“Heartening to see. As soon as Democrats got here to the conclusion that even ignoring the Pennsylvania Supreme Courtroom can’t scrape up sufficient ballots to win…,” RNC Chair Michael Whatley wrote on X. “Governor Shapiro immediately discovers that he stands with the rule of legislation. Higher late than by no means.”
Democrat Sen. Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick, who defeated Casey by some 17,000 votes within the race for the Senate. (Getty Photographs)
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Trump marketing campaign official Chris LaCivita mentioned Pennsylvania elections officers would face jail time for counting incorrect mail-in ballots.
“They may go to jail,” he wrote Sunday night on X. “Rely on it.”
Fox Information Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.