Republicans lose a round in Pennsylvania mail voting dispute

Pennsylvania Supreme Court dealt a blow Thursday to Republicans in legal fight over deadline for mailed ballots in presidential battleground state.

court, which has a 5-2 Democratic majority, rejected without comment a request by Republicans to put on hold its decision to extend deadline for receiving and counting mail-in ballots.

Republicans are w likely to ask U.S. Supreme Court to block ruling.

divided court last week granted Democratic Party’s request to order an extension of Pennsylvania’s Election Day deadline to count mailed ballots.

court said ballots must be postmarked by time polls close and be received by county election boards at 5 p.m. on v. 6, three days after v. 3 election.

It cited warnings of prospect of Postal Service delays in invalidating huge numbers of ballots and demand for mailed ballots during coronavirus pandemic to invoke power, used previously by state’s courts, to extend election deadlines during a disaster emergency.

Ballots can be counted if y lack a postmark, a legible postmark or some or proof of mailing unless a “preponderance of evidence” shows it was mailed after Election Day, court said.

Republicans opposed changing deadline, as well as counting ballots without legible postmarks to prove y were mailed before polls closed. y say ruling violates federal law that sets Election Day as first Tuesday in vember and exceeded court’s constitutional authority.