This database consolidates and tracks litigation concerning the effect of the pandemic on election law. The purpose of this tool is to provide an interactive list of relevant cases that can be searched by issue, court, status, and jurisdiction.
Case Details
In re November 3, 2020 General Election
Active
In re November 3, 2020 Gen. Election, No. 149 MM 2020 (Penn. Sup. Ct.) |
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| Case Summary | Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar applied to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to resolve a first-impression statutory construction issue concerning provisions in the Election Code governing mail-in ballots: whether the Election Code permits or requires county election officials to reject applications or refuse to count voted ballots based on a subjective signature analysis. | |
| Filed | 10/04/2020 | |
| State | Pennsylvania | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Active | |
| Last Updated | 12/21/2020 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Vote-by-Mail (Signature Verification Standards) | |
| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 10/04/2020: Other | |
| 10/23/2020: Other, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the state’s Election Code does not allow for mail-in ballots to be invalidated based on signature comparisons. The court found that Pennsylvania state law does not provide for signature comparisons for mail-in ballots, a meaning reinforced by recent legislative changes that expand the availability of vote-by-mail and limit the bases for challenging mail-in ballots. | ||
Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. v. Degraffenreid, No. 20- (Sup. Ct.) |
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| Case Summary | Petitioner, President Trump, consolidates and seeks review of three Pennsylvania Supreme Court decisions: In re Canvass of Absentee & Mail-In Ballots of Nov. 3, 2020 Gen. Election (date and signature), In re Canvassing Observation (poll observation), and In re November 3, 2020 Gen. Election (signature verification standards). The Petitioner alleges that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court impermissibly altered the manner of elections in violation of the Electors Clause. Petitioner requests that the Court remand the matter to the Pennsylvania state legislature, which can select its own slate of electors in place of those selected by popular vote. | |
| Filed | 12/20/2020 | |
| State | Pennsylvania | |
| Type of Court | Federal | |
| Circuit | US Supreme Court | |
| Status | Active | |
| Last Updated | 02/22/2021 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Vote-by-Mail (Poll Observer Access, Signature Verification Standards, Notice/Cure for Mismatches Missing Signature or Mistakes) Authority To Act (Electors Clause) |
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| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 12/20/2020: Appellant Brief | |
| 02/22/2021: Other, Cert denied. | ||
