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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that counties must inform voters of errors on their mail-in ballots. In a 4-3 decision, the court decided that counties must notify voters if their mail-in ballots have mistakes, such as missing dates or signatures, which could lead to disqualification. The ruling stems from a lawsuit against Washington County, which did not inform voters of such errors during the 2024 primary election, resulting in 259 ballots being rejected.
Justice Kevin Dougherty, writing for the majority, emphasized that the Election Code should be interpreted to "favor the fundamental right to vote and enfranchise the electorate." The decision means that counties must adopt a "notice and cure" process, allowing voters to correct errors or cast provisional ballots on Election Day.
The case, supported by the ACLU of Pennsylvania and other organizations, argued that not notifying voters of ballot errors violated their constitutional rights. The ruling is seen as a victory for voter rights and aims to ensure transparency and fairness in elections.
Despite the ruling, some dissenting justices expressed concerns about the consistency of election practices across counties. The decision is part of ongoing litigation related to Pennsylvania's mail-in voting law, Act 77.