The Supreme Court on Friday declined to halt the counting of provisional ballots cast by Pennsylvania voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected for procedural errors, dealing a setback to Republican efforts to exclude these votes. The ruling, which came without an opinion, clears the way for potentially thousands of votes in the critical swing state.
Democrats hailed the decision as a victory, noting that it reinforces the right of eligible voters to have their ballots counted. Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign celebrated the outcome, stating, “Today’s decision confirms that for every eligible voter, the right to vote means the right to have your vote counted.”
Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, expressed concern but noted that the court could not issue a statewide order since only Butler County was involved in the case. The ruling comes amid a series of high-profile decisions affecting the presidential race, underscoring Pennsylvania’s crucial role as voters head to the polls.
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