As the November elections approach, voting rights groups in Pennsylvania are gearing up to educate voters and collaborate with local officials to reduce the rejection of mail-in ballots. This initiative follows the rejection of nearly 16,000 ballots in April’s primary, attributed to late arrivals and errors in voter information.
Despite improvements with a redesigned mail ballot that lowered rejection rates from previous years, the state remains vigilant. The rejected ballots, if similarly numerous in the upcoming general elections, could significantly influence outcomes in critical races. Pennsylvania is anticipated to play a crucial role in determining the presidential race and control of the U.S. Senate.
The state’s voting law is still under judicial scrutiny, with ongoing litigation influencing the procedures for counting ballots with date or signature errors. A “notice and cure” policy is being advocated by groups like All Voting is Local, aiming to allow voters to rectify errors before their votes are discarded.
State officials acknowledge the importance of every vote and credit the redesigned ballots for the decrease in rejections due to voter mistakes. However, they also emphasize the need for clearer legislative guidelines to prevent disenfranchisement and reduce reliance on the courts to settle mail voting procedures.
Amid these challenges, some counties proactively help voters correct ballot errors, yet such measures are not uniformly mandated across the state. Advocates are urging for more consistent practices and legislative clarity to ensure all Pennsylvanians can have their votes counted in the forthcoming high-stakes election.