The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a ruling on Friday that could have significant implications for the upcoming November election. The court decided that mail ballots with incorrect or missing dates will not be counted, overturning a previous lower court ruling that found rejecting such ballots to be unconstitutional.

The date requirements for mail ballots in Pennsylvania have long been a contentious issue, with critics arguing that they unfairly disenfranchise eligible voters. In May, a group of voting rights advocates took the matter to court, seeking to block the provision that allowed election officials to reject ballots with incorrect dates, even if they arrived by the statutory deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Pennsylvania Republican Party came out in support of the date provision, emphasizing its importance in protecting the integrity of elections. Their appeal of the Commonwealth Court's ruling from two weeks ago proved successful, prompting RNC Chairman Michael Whatley to hail the decision as a "HUGE election integrity win."

However, attorneys representing the voting rights groups involved in the lawsuit, including the ACLU and the Public Interest Law Center, expressed disappointment with the ruling, noting that the state Supreme Court ruled on procedural grounds and suggesting that further action may be taken.

Steve Loney, an attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, stated, "Today's procedural ruling is a setback for Pennsylvania voters, but we will keep fighting for them. These eligible voters who submitted their ballots on time deserve to have their voices heard."

Notably, Pennsylvania has not yet commenced sending out mail ballots to voters, as a few third-party challenges are still being litigated in the courts. The potential for even a small number of mail ballots being rejected due to date issues is concerning, particularly given the impact it could have on a state that President Joe Biden won by a slim margin of fewer than 82,000 votes in 2020.

According to Votebeat, a nonpartisan election reporting outlet, over 4,400 mail-in ballots were rejected in Pennsylvania's recent primary due to date-related problems. Democrats have historically relied more heavily on mail voting than Republicans in the state.

Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes up for grabs, is once again a critical battleground in the presidential race, this time between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Additionally, the state is hosting a crucial contest between Democratic Senator Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick, which could play a pivotal role in determining control of the Senate.

As the legal battles over mail ballot requirements continue, all eyes will remain on Pennsylvania as it navigates its role in the upcoming elections and the implications it may have on the nation as a whole.