Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
10/31/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/31/2024 11:31
Heffley Expresses Concerns Over Commonwealth Court Ruling on Mail-In Ballots
Oct. 31, 2024
HARRISBURG - Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) voiced significant concerns regarding the Commonwealth Court's recent decision to count undated and incorrectly dated mail-in ballots in the case of Baxter v. Philadelphia Board of Elections. Heffley believes this ruling undermines the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections and opens the door for potential electoral misconduct.
"This ruling raises serious questions about our election process and the ability to ensure fair outcomes," said Heffley. "We must uphold the standards that protect our democracy. Allowing these undated ballots to be counted only fuels concerns that some individuals are trying to cheat the system."
In a recent ruling, the Commonwealth Court contradicted a prior Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Ball v. Chapman that failure to include the date on absentee and mail-in ballot envelopes renders those ballots invalid. Just weeks ago, on Oct. 5, the Supreme Court stated it would not make significant changes to election laws during an ongoing election, referring to this as "common sense."
The Commonwealth Court's ruling, issued 25 days after this statement, raises concerns about the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections. The original changes to the Pennsylvania Election Code included strict provisions, such as the dating requirement, designed to ensure the integrity of mail-in voting. A nonseverability clause stated that if any part of the mail-in ballot law was found invalid, the entire law would be invalidated.
In her dissenting opinion, Judge Patricia McCullough criticized the majority for ignoring this nonseverability provision and also stating, "Wrong decisions issued at the wrong time are doubly threatening to the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections and the public's confidence in them." McCullough expressed concern over the potential confusion for county boards of elections and voters as they navigate the implications of this ruling.
"There is a need for clear and consistent election laws to maintain public confidence in the electoral process," said Heffley. "As this situation develops, I remain committed to advocating for integrity in Pennsylvania's elections."
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Huntre Keip
717.772.9837
[email protected]
RepHeffley.com / Facebook.com/RepHeffley
"This ruling raises serious questions about our election process and the ability to ensure fair outcomes," said Heffley. "We must uphold the standards that protect our democracy. Allowing these undated ballots to be counted only fuels concerns that some individuals are trying to cheat the system."
In a recent ruling, the Commonwealth Court contradicted a prior Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in Ball v. Chapman that failure to include the date on absentee and mail-in ballot envelopes renders those ballots invalid. Just weeks ago, on Oct. 5, the Supreme Court stated it would not make significant changes to election laws during an ongoing election, referring to this as "common sense."
The Commonwealth Court's ruling, issued 25 days after this statement, raises concerns about the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections. The original changes to the Pennsylvania Election Code included strict provisions, such as the dating requirement, designed to ensure the integrity of mail-in voting. A nonseverability clause stated that if any part of the mail-in ballot law was found invalid, the entire law would be invalidated.
In her dissenting opinion, Judge Patricia McCullough criticized the majority for ignoring this nonseverability provision and also stating, "Wrong decisions issued at the wrong time are doubly threatening to the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections and the public's confidence in them." McCullough expressed concern over the potential confusion for county boards of elections and voters as they navigate the implications of this ruling.
"There is a need for clear and consistent election laws to maintain public confidence in the electoral process," said Heffley. "As this situation develops, I remain committed to advocating for integrity in Pennsylvania's elections."
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Huntre Keip
717.772.9837
[email protected]
RepHeffley.com / Facebook.com/RepHeffley
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