A wide expansion of mail-in voting in Pennsylvania was found to be constitutional by the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, meaning it is likely to be in use in the November general election, which features marquee races for governor and U.S. Senate.
The 2019 measure, which was in place for the 2020 presidential election, was challenged by a group of Republican state lawmakers and a Republican county commissioner, who questioned its constitutionality.
“We find no restriction in our Constitution on the General Assembly’s ability to create universal mail-in voting,” the court said in a 5-2 decision.
A lower court panel with a majority of Republican judges had thrown out the law in January. The ruling was put on hold, however, while the state Supreme Court reviewed a repeal by the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf (D).
Pennsylvania held its primaries on May 17.
In November, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) faces celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz in the Senate race. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) and state senator Doug Mastriano (R) are facing off in the gubernatorial contest.
The 2019 measure, which was in place for the 2020 presidential election, was challenged by a group of Republican state lawmakers and a Republican county commissioner, who questioned its constitutionality.
“We find no restriction in our Constitution on the General Assembly’s ability to create universal mail-in voting,” the court said in a 5-2 decision.
A lower court panel with a majority of Republican judges had thrown out the law in January. The ruling was put on hold, however, while the state Supreme Court reviewed a repeal by the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf (D).
Pennsylvania held its primaries on May 17.
In November, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) faces celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz in the Senate race. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) and state senator Doug Mastriano (R) are facing off in the gubernatorial contest.
