Pennsylvania Court Strikes Down ‘No-Excuse’ Mail-In Voting Law

Contact Your Elected Officials

The Pennsylvania court struck down the state’s mail-in voting law on Friday and said the Pennsylvania Constitution requires voters to cast their ballots in person unless they meet specific requirements.

“No-excuse mail-in voting makes the exercise of the franchise more convenient and has been used four times in the history of Pennsylvania,” wrote commonwealth court judge Mary Hannah Leavitt (pdf) in an opinion. “Approximately 1.38 million voters have expressed their interest in voting by mail permanently.”

“If presented to the people, a constitutional amendment… is likely to be adopted. But a constitutional amendment must be presented to the people” before measures like Act 77 can take effect, the court wrote Friday. Act 77 was passed in the Pennsylvania Legislature and signed into law in 2019 by Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf.

Three Republican judges opted to strike down the law over the dissent of two Democratic judges.

Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration will most likely appeal the ruling. A spokesperson for Wolf’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Following the 2020 election, Republicans criticized Pennsylvania court decisions, including one that allowed mail-in ballots to be counted up to three days after the 2020 election so as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.

“Big news out of Pennsylvania, great patriotic spirit is developing at a level that nobody thought possible,” former President Donald Trump said in a statement that celebrated the Pennsylvania ruling on Friday. “Make America Great Again!”

More than 2.6 million Pennsylvanians voted via the mail during the 2020 general election, according to the Pennsylvania elections agency. The figure includes both absentee voting and no-excuse mail-in voting.

In August 2021, 14 Republican members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives filed a lawsuit against the mail-in voting law, saying it was unconstitutional. Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko in September 2021 filed a similar legal challenge before the two suits were consolidated into one.

Later, the Democratic National Committee and the Pennsylvania Democratic Party intervened to defend the law in tandem with Wolf’s administration.

The Democratic National Committee and the Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of State’s office did not immediately issue comments after the court’s ruling on Friday.

On Thursday, meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined to hear a separate case from Lehigh County Judge candidate Zachary Cohen over undated mail-in ballots. The court upheld a Commonwealth Court ruling that some 257 undated mail-in ballots need to be discarded.

Adam Bonin, Cohen’s lawyer, told the Allentown Morning Call that his client is “disappointed in the court’s ruling, not only because of it’s impact on Zac, but especially for all those voters who deserve to be heard in this election.” Cohen is 74 votes behind Republican David Ritter in the race.

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

250 Countdown

Those 56 intrepid men who signed put their very lives, honor and fortunes on the line. There was no auto-quill to accommodate their signatures. 

How the Senate Parliamentarian Changed the OBBB

An unelected bureaucrat does a important job in the U.S. Senate. Elizabeth MacDonough enforces senate rules on Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”.

Bioterror Roundup: CDC Director Nominee Is a Monster + New mRNA Pregnancy Studies

Bioterror Propaganda Roundup: The latest updates on the “new...

The Sacred Honor of the 56

Today we're celebrating the sacred honor of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Alligator Alcatraz: A Bold Step Toward Secure Borders

Alligator Alcatraz funded through FEMA, represents a decisive move by the Trump admin to address illegal immigration with efficiency and resolve.

New White House Faith Office Aims to Ensure US Is Beacon of Freedom for Others

The White House Faith Office wants to see the United States as the leader in advancing religious freedom, its faith director Jennifer Korn said.

Federal Reserve Rates Are Too High, Says Former World Bank Chief

Rates should be between 0.25 and 1.75 percent rather...

Newly Naturalized Citizens Say What American Freedom Means to Them

Nearly 820,000 people pledged allegiance to the United States and became naturalized citizens in 2024.

Noem Waives Environmental Restrictions to Fast-Track Water Barriers in Rio Grande

DHS Sec Kristi Noem waived federal environmental laws to fast-track construction of 17 miles of waterborne barriers in the Rio Grande in South Texas.

US Keeps Pressure on Chinese Goods Amid Vietnam Trade Deal

Transshipping—rerouting goods through a third country to disguise the origin of the products—is a focal point of trade negotiations with Asian markets.

White House Report Reveals Top Earners, Staffers Working for No Salary

The Trump admin released its yearly report that shows the salaries for White House staffers, also revealing officials who aren’t accepting salaries at all.

Transportation Secretary Urges Governors to Remove Political Messages From Crosswalks, Intersections

Duffy sent letters to governors, mayor of D.C., and gov of Puerto Rico urging them to remove political messaging from intersections and crosswalks.

Bessent: US, India Near Agreement to Lower Tariffs

The United States and India are “very close” to a trade agreement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday.
spot_img

Related Articles