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October 29, 2020

Supreme Court to Allow Counting of Absentee Ballots Past Election Day in PA, NC
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the states of Pennsylvania and North
Carolina can accept absentee ballots received after November 3 - at
least for now. In the Pennsylvania case, the justices refused to take up
a plea from Republicans to overturn a ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court to count ballots received up until three days after the election
if they are postmarked by November 3. But the justices could still
consider the Republican challenge again after the election if the state
turns out to be pivotal to the election.

In the North Carolina case, the justices let stand a lower court ruling
allowing the state's Board of Elections to extend the deadline for
counting ballots to nine days after Election Day. Newly confirmed
Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not take part in either case.


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