Sides make respective cases in Pennsylvania Supreme Court matter of dates on mail-in ballots

Pennsylvania elections officials argued in a new court filing Tuesday that handwritten dates on the envelopes that many state voters use to mail in ballots should not be deemed mandatory – in a case brought before the state Supreme Court last week by state and national Republican Party organizations and several GOP voters.

The petitioners are asked the justices to take up the issue as some county officials who run vote counting appear poised to throw out ballots without the proper dates while others are expected to count them, according to the Associated Press.

The court said Friday that it will likely rule on the issue without holding oral arguments, the wire service also reports. Election Day as of Wednesday is now two weeks.

The case was also filed because of a half-century-old legislative ruling deemphasizing their signatures' importance. importance.

"The date requirement is unambiguous and mandatory," the petitioners argued in their filing, citing a law requiring mail-in voters to fill out, date and sign the outer ballot envelope. 

Attorneys for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf argued that the envelope date is an "immaterial error or omission" and the law should not be used to prevent ballots from counting.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Appeals Court ruled in May that dates should not be required, but the U.S. Supreme Court deemed the decision moot earlier this month. Pennsylvania's highest court said Friday it will likely make a decision without oral arguments.