Could the pennsylvania mail ballots be counted as literacy tests?

[jorgevlorgan]

They require carefully following written instructions and if those instructions are not perfectly followed, your vote will not count. Could that be a violation of the civil rights act banning literacy tests? It is conceivable that the naked ballots without secrecy sleeves thrown out will tilt heavily democratic...

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. I did it for the primary.

You have to be completely illiterate not to be able to follow these simple instructions. It’s not complex in the least.

[jimfields33]

2. Pennsylvania has a Democratic Governor and democratic attorney General

No way would they make it harder to vote. No way would they.

[jorgevlorgan]

3. This isn't based on anything they are doing

It is based on what the republican leadership before them did, and the current republican state legislature not wanting to help make it easiier for people to vote.

[jimfields33]

4. Before this year, it was practically impossible to absentee vote

They had zero early voting. Everybody voted on Election Day. Covid helped make it easier to get changes. I can’t believe they didn’t take a ballot to the governor to give him a look at it. Maybe that too much in the weeds thinking, but as important as voting is, I’m sure he saw it.

[jorgevlorgan]

6. Yeah also the ballot sleeve issue wasn't really a big deal until

Trump successfully got the state supreme court to invalidate all of them without a sleeve. This got thousands of already counted ballots disqualified in the primaries.

[jimfields33]

9. Holy crap! Did not realize that.

I guess you are right.

[still_one]

5. That was my first thought, and why I am seeing articles on how complicated the voting

by mail process seems to be there.

I know some say it isn't an issue because all you have to do is read carefully, but it is these assumptions that will get ballots thrown out

It is doubtful at this late stage using the Civil Rights Act is going to work.

What we need to do is have people available to educate people on filling out their ballots correctly

[RhodeIslandOne]

7. Pfft good luck. Amy Creepy Barrett would love to rule.

How many times do you think she's said the n-word in her life?

[FBaggins]

8. Are you required to use them?

Then probably not

I've seen this mentioned a couple times now... but have yet to see anything in the instructions that is unlike most absentee systems I've seen.

[jorgevlorgan]

10. You mean the secrecy envelopes?

Of you don't read the instructions carefully, you may likely overlook the secrecy envelopes and have your ballot invalidated per a recent state supreme court ruling that was brought up by Trump. Thousands of already counted primary ballots were disqualified as a result.

[FBaggins]

13. No. Vote by mail

If you were in a state where everyone was forced to vote by mail and there was something different about the instructions that made them in some sense a "literacy test", then there might be a case.

I have yet to hear what is so puzzling about PA's process compared to other states' and, of course, you don't have to vote by mail if you're confused.

[jorgevlorgan]

14. Yeah I think PA is entirely vote by mail this year?

I don't know this for sure, though. Maybe not? But you make a good point

[FBaggins]

15. Nope

You can still vote in person from about a week ago up through Election Day.

[jorgevlorgan]

16. Thanks! I thought they didn't have any early voting at all....

And I guess I'm person voting on eday is also an option

[not_the_one]

11. Really?

This is not addressed to you, personally, but to those out there looking for reasons to freak out. We already have plenty of valid reasons to do so.

Having said THAT...

Get a grip. This is the most important election in this country's history.

If you want to vote, the least you can do is pay attention and follow instructions. If you can't read (and exactly what percentage of the population falls into THAT category), get someone to help you. If you can't read English, I bet you know someone who does.

The better argument may be that idiots shouldn't be allowed to vote.

[jorgevlorgan]

12. Thousands of already counted ballots were thrown out because of the secrecy envelopes.

Which were not included due to not carefully following instructions. It is likely for there to be a high rate of these thrown out on election day.