Democrats launch naked ballot campaign ahead of midterms
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A banner flew over Philadelphia Tuesday morning warning voters to “cover up” their mail-in ballots in the provided secrecy envelopes for the midterm election.
The plane towing the message “COVER UP, PA! NO NAKED BALLOTS! VISIT IWILLVOTE.COM/PA” was part of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s “Don’t Get Caught Naked” campaign to prevent mail ballots from being spoiled after the polls close on Nov. 8. Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Republican former candidate by vacating a lower court ruling that allowed mail ballots without dates to be counted.
No-excuse mail-in ballots created by Act 77 of 2019 allow a voter to cast their ballot by mail even if they’ll be in their home precinct on Election Day, but missing secrecy envelopes, often referred to as naked ballots, or other defects could prevent those ballots from being tallied.
Pennsylvania is one of several key battleground states that could decide party control in Congress. Democrats and Republicans have a 50-50 split in the Senate, but Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote gives Democrats a slight advantage. The Senate race between Democrat John Fetterman, the state’s lieutenant governor, and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz is one of the most closely watched races in the country.
The state’s gubernatorial race between Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has also gained national attention.
“Pennsylvania is home to some of the most important races in the country and it’s crucial every voter knows how to make their voice heard and ensures that their vote is counted,” Democratic Party spokesman Jack Doyle said.
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How to properly fill out a mail ballot
A news release from the party tells voters to remember the following steps when completing their ballot:
Complete your ballot in black or blue ink.
Seal the ballot in the smaller secrecy envelope, then place it in the larger return envelope. If you do not place the ballot in the secrecy envelope, your vote won’t count.
Sign, date and complete the voters’ declaration on the outside of the larger return envelope.
Mail your ballot or return it in person to an official drop-off location. Check Iwillvote.com/PA to find out where you can drop off your ballot.
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About 1 million mail ballots have already been sent out to voters across the state and about 22,799 ballots have been returned to their respective county Boards of Elections, according to data posted online Tuesday by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
A popular but contentious voting option
Mail ballots have been a constant point of contention since they were first allowed during the 2020 Presidential primary, the ballot option heavily favored by Democrats often seeing GOP pushback.
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Republican officials across the state have continually challenged the counting of mail ballots over secrecy envelopes, missing signatures and state lawmakers have tried repeatedly to repeal or add restrictions to Act 77.
While the state doesn’t have a specific mechanism in place to offer voters an option to correct naked or other defective ballots, some counties in the past have contacted voters prior to an election if officials think a ballot might be defective.
A recent lawsuit filed by three Republican committees, including the party’s campaign arms for federal Senate and House races, and the state Republican party sought to prevent counties from contacting voters in the midterm.
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The state’s Commonwealth Court struck down that lawsuit against State Secretary Leigh Chapman and every county Board of Elections last week on the grounds that preventing counties from curing potentially defective ballots would do more harm than good, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Past legal challenges against mail-ballots have failed for similar reasons as courts tend to rule against disenfranchising large groups of voters over what are usually considered minor issues.
If past elections are any indication, mail ballots will likely see more lawsuits after the Nov. 8 election..
Doyle said the best way for voters to avoid having their vote tossed aside is to make sure to follow the instructions for returning their ballots carefully.
“Voting by mail is a convenient and reliable way to vote – just remember to cover up your ballot using the secrecy envelope,” Doyle said.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: PA Dems remind voters of secrecy envelopes for mail ballots in midterm
