Pennsylvania sees fewer mail ballots rejected for technicalities, a priority for election officials

By MARC LEVY
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania election officials say the rate of mail-in ballots rejected for technicalities saw a significant drop in last month’s primary election. That is after state officials tried anew to help voters avoid mistakes that might get their ballots thrown out. Pennsylvania’s top election official, Secretary of State Al Schmidt, said counties reported a 13.5% decrease in mail-in ballots that were rejected for reasons the state had tried to address with a redesigned ballot envelope and instructions for voting by mail. That is compared to the 2023 primary election. The success of the mail-in vote could be critical to determining the outcome of November’s presidential election in Pennsylvania.