With the 2024 election fast approaching, Republicans have taken Pennsylvania’s “naked ballot” issue to the U.S. Supreme Court, marking the second high-profile voting-related case to reach the court just days before Election Day. The appeal, submitted by the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Monday, urges the Supreme Court to overrule a Pennsylvania state court’s decision that could allow voters to cast provisional ballots if they submit mail-in ballots without the required “secrecy” envelope.
“Naked ballots,” as they are called, are mail-in ballots that lack this additional envelope, which is meant to protect the voter’s choices from being visible before processing. Pennsylvania law mandates that these ballots be enclosed in a secrecy sleeve before being mailed back to election officials. However, recent rulings have opened the door for voters to instead cast a provisional ballot at their polling place on Election Day if their original mail ballot was rejected due to the missing envelope.
The RNC’s request to the Supreme Court underscores the potential impact of these ballots, particularly in a pivotal battleground state like Pennsylvania, which could sway control of the U.S. Senate and even the 2024 presidential outcome. “This case is of paramount public importance, potentially affecting tens of thousands of votes,” the RNC argued, emphasizing the stakes of ensuring that election procedures align with state laws and prevent possible irregularities.
The urgency of the appeal is compounded by the recent actions in Virginia, where state officials asked the Supreme Court to support their initiative to remove suspected noncitizens from the voter rolls. Both cases point to the heightened attention on voting processes this election cycle, as partisan debates on ballot security, voter accessibility, and election integrity continue to intensify.
Given the time-sensitive nature of both cases, the Supreme Court is expected to act swiftly, with a decision potentially arriving within days. The RNC has requested a ruling on the Pennsylvania matter by Friday, which would provide clarity on the handling of naked ballots before Election Day. If the court sides with the Republicans, it would likely invalidate provisional ballots cast to address naked ballot issues, effectively enforcing a stricter interpretation of the state’s mail-in ballot requirements.
The outcome of this case will be closely watched, as it not only influences voting in Pennsylvania but could also set a precedent affecting ballot handling across the country. The Supreme Court’s rulings on these cases could signal how the court may approach election-related disputes leading into 2024, potentially impacting strategies on both sides of the political spectrum in battleground states nationwide.
