U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Pa. Republicans' Request To Block Extended Ballots Past Nov. 3
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KDKA/AP) -- The Supreme Court of the United States has rejected Republican requests to block extended ballots past Nov. 3 in Pennsylvania.
The Supreme Court will not expedite the request from state Republicans to end the extended deadline for receiving mail-in ballots. The court's order on Wednesday left open the possibility that the justices could take up and decide after the voting whether a three-day extension to receive and count absentee ballots ordered by the state's high court was proper.
New Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not participate "because of the need for a prompt resolution of it and because she has not had time to fully review the parties' filings," court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in an email.
Pennsylvania's Department of State could not immediately say Wednesday night whether it would revise its guidance to the counties about whether to count those ballots.
The Republican party wanted the Supreme Court to quickly take up its case to block counties in Pennsylvania from counting mail-in ballots received up to three days after the upcoming Election Day on Nov. 3. The Republican Party filed the case last Friday after the justices were divided 4-4 on putting a hold on the extension.
Republicans have opposed such an extension, arguing that it violates federal law that sets Election Day as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
RELATED STORY: Pa. Republican Party Urging U.S. Supreme Court To Quickly Hear Case To Block Mail-In Ballot Counting Deadline
They also say such a decision constitutionally belongs to lawmakers, not the courts.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a statement, saying, in part:
"We applaud the Court's decision to slow down, get to regular order, and let Pennsylvania have an election. Now we must vote and take time to count all eligible ballots."
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