Tipsheet

There Is a Major Supreme Court Deadline for the Presidential Election This Week

Over the weekend, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito moved up the timeline for Pennsylvania officials to respond to a lawsuit that argues the state's mass mail-in voting system, which was implemented for the first time during the 2020 election, is unconstitutional. If the system were to be found unconstitutional, the votes cast within it would be thrown out, essentially voiding the Pennsylvania election. The lawsuit was filed by Republican Congressman Mike Kelly and officials must respond by Tuesday, December 8, at 9 a.m.

"The difference of just a day is significant, given that the previous deadline of Wednesday fell one day after what is known as the 'safe harbor date,' the federal cutoff date for states to resolve any remaining election disputes and lock in their slate of electors for the Dec. 14 Electoral College vote," The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

There is speculation growing about why Alito changed the date. Democrats have repeatedly argued the case has no merit, Republicans and many constitutional scholars disagree.