Pa. State Department: Counties can't discard mail-in ballots over signature

[babylonsister]

Pa. State Department: Counties can't discard mail-in ballots over signature
By J. Edward Moreno - 09/15/20 06:40 PM EDT


Pennsylvania officials have directed counties not to discard mail-in ballots solely because an election official believes a signature doesn’t match the one in the voter’s file.

The new guidance issued Monday prompted several organizations, including the Campaign Legal Center (CLC), to drop a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania’s Department of State. The state now has a uniform process for verifying signatures instead of leaving it to the discretion of local officials.

Under the new guidance, voters will have the opportunity to fix issues with the signature on their ballots.

“As a result of this case, Pennsylvania voters can cast their vote without fear that their ballot could be rejected solely because an election official — who isn’t trained in handwriting analysis — thinks their signatures don’t match. Voting should not be a penmanship test,“ Mark Gaber, director of trial litigation at the CLC, said in a statement.

more...

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/516584-pa-state-department-counties-cant-discard-mail-in-ballots-over-signature

[Baitball Blogger]

1. That's huge.

[gristy]

2. Outstanding - Campaign Legal Center below

https://campaignlegal.org/about

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) advances democracy through law, fighting for every American’s right to participate in the democratic process. CLC uses tactics such as litigation, policy advocacy, communications and partnerships to win victories that result in a more transparent, accountable and inclusive democracy. Our long-term goal is a government responsive to the people.

CLC’s commitment is to democracy, not to any political party or to any particular electoral result. We think about systemic impact when we choose which work to pursue, but we work at all levels of government to introduce innovative ideas that will drive significant change or set an important legal precedent. Our priority is engaging and driving action – whether in the courtroom, newsroom or statehouse.

CLC’s knowledge of election law matters is unmatched. Peer organizations, journalists and government officials rely on our analysis and legal skills. It is our expertise and non-partisanship, combined with the cases and issues we strategically choose, that ensures we make the largest impact possible.

Mission
The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American’s rights to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process.

Vision
CLC seeks a future in which the American political process is accessible to all citizens, resulting in representative, responsive and accountable government.

Funding
Donations from individuals and foundations to Campaign Legal Center — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization — make possible our work in campaign finance, voting rights, redistricting and government ethics. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Given our commitment to transparency and accountability, CLC discloses all donations of $200 or greater within the past two years. We update the list on a monthly basis. We are grateful to the individual and institutional donors who have supported our work over the past two years.

[RobinA]

3. Jeez...

I never thought of that. My signature looks nothing like the one they have on file. I better just vote in person. They don’t flag me when I’m there.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

4. Good!

There was an old gray-haired white guy (probably one of the Republican poll workers) who questioned my signature match when I voted in-person about a dozen years ago. Then one of the female poll workers peeked over to compare them and basically scoffed at him.

We don't need any yahoos like that idiot making such decisions!