Monday, October 7

The state of voting in Pennsylvania as Nov. 5 approaches

• The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a case from Pennsylvania GOP lawmakers seeking to revive the right-wing independent state legislature theory and challenge President Biden's 2021 executive order expanding voter registration.

  
  

• On Saturday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided not to weigh in on two high-profile cases over mail-in voting — one from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and one from voting rights groups — saying it's too close to the election to consider changes to voting rules.

• However, Pennsylvania’s highest court said it will determine whether Washington County must notify voters if their mail-in ballot has a defect and allow them to vote provisionally at the polls. Two lower courts agreed that the county is required to do so.

• Pennsylvania's Luzerne County restored ballot drop boxes for the November election after its county manager was sued for completely eliminating them last month.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton will impact voting in 2024 election

• The North Carolina State Board of Elections unanimously passed a list of emergency measures allowing special accommodations for voters and election officials in the 13 counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene.

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he will not extend today's voter registration deadline, despite calls from three dozen voting rights groups to make the accommodation as voters recover from Hurricane Helene and prepare for Hurricane Milton.

Since Jan. 1, 2023

Voters in Arizona county can’t vote if they go to wrong precinct

• Voters who go to the wrong precinct in Pinal County, Arizona will not be able to vote, a judge ruled. The judge said Pinal County is violating state law by not allowing out-of-precinct voting but won’t order the county to change policy "so near the election."

Georgia judge rejects GOP lawsuit challenging voting machines

• A Georgia judge rejected a Republican lawsuit attempting to undermine confidence in the state's voting machines. The judge said the security concerns the GOP plaintiffs raised about Dominion Voting Systems are "purely hypothetical."

Arkansans can’t register to vote electronically

• The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused an order blocking a handwritten signature requirement for voter registration, making it harder for new voters to sign up in the state with the country's lowest registration rate. Arkansas' deadline to register is today.

Ohio secretary of state limits use of drop boxes in this election

• Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued new guidance last month limiting who can return a mail-in ballot via drop box. In a new YouTube video, Marc and Paige Moskowitz break down the new rules and the lawsuit from the Ohio Democratic Party challenging the rules.

Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow

• The Nevada Supreme Court is set to hear a case that former President Donald Trump’s campaign and the RNC filed to challenge the state’s policy of counting non-postmarked mail-in ballots received within three days after Election Day. Republicans are asking the court to reject these ballots.