Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules mail ballots with incorrect dates won't be counted

[InstantGratification]

22. The date that goes on the security envelope

I'm in OH, so I'm assuming a couple of things, but most states are similar in this:

When I request and get a mail in ballot, the vote by mail packet I receive has 4 things in it. The actual ballot, the security envelope, the return envelope and an instruction sheet that tells me how to fill everything out and return it.

The ballot has no signature or other identifying markings on it, just the candidates and the issues. That is how they maintain your anonymity. You fill out your ballot with your choices and it goes in the security envelope.

The security envelope has all the authentication measures. When I get mine this fall, I'll fill out the ballot and seal it in the security envelope. On the outside I put my name, address, date of birth and drivers license number (that's the one I choose, there are other options). Then I sign and date it, put it in the return envelope and either mail it back or take it to a drop box.

When the board of elections gets my return envelope, they take my security envelope out and drop it in a bin that is kept secured until election day. On election day, they verify my security envelope and take out my ballot and drop it in another bin to be scanned and tabulated. That is how they both verify my identity and maintain the anonymity of my votes.

The "date" in question is the date on the security envelope. Put the wrong date there or no date at all and, with this decision, PA won't be counting your vote. A typo on that date has zero to do with election security, it's just another way to disqualify votes. The post mark date is the one that matters, get it in the mail by the deadline and received by the board of elections by the deadline and your should be counted. Rs know that Ds are more likely to vote by mail, so they will cull more D votes than R votes and in a tight race, maybe swing the result in their favor.