Pennsylvania Dem Gov. Josh Shapiro sides with state supreme court ruling not to count certain mail-in ballots

SUMMARY

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has sided with the state Supreme Court's decision not to count certain mail-in ballots during a contentious Senate race recount. The court ruled 4-3 that ballots lacking the required dates or signatures should not be counted, particularly in counties like Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia. Shapiro, a Democrat, emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law, saying that ignoring election laws undermines faith in the electoral process. This ruling supports the Republican effort to maintain their narrow Senate victory, where GOP candidate David McCormick won over Democrat Bob Casey by about 17,000 votes, within a 0.5% margin. The ruling followed numerous lawsuits from Republican officials to end the recount, accusing Democratic-led election boards of improperly including faulty ballots. Critics, including the RNC, have argued that Shapiro only supported the ruling after recognizing the limited impact of including such ballots.