Lehigh County is in an uproar about 250 mail-in ballots that came in without a date on the back of the envelope. First of all, the law that mandates a date on the back of the envelope is silly anyway. As long as the ballot gets to the Registrar before the election, what does it matter if it was sent on Oct. 22 or Oct. 24?
Since Democrats vote by mail more often than Republicans, the Republican judicial candidate doesn’t want the ballots counted. The Democrat, however, thinks they should be counted. A judge will decide, and his decision will be appealed by the candidate who loses in court.
The problem is bigger than 250 ballots, however. The problem is that Pennsylvania elects its judges in partisan races, with Democrats running against Republicans, and with both sides accepting money from PACs and wealthy donors who expect “their” judges to issue opinions in their favor.
It taints the whole process. In the Lehigh County case, the opinion of the judge deciding the fate of the ballots will be suspect whichever way he rules. Is he a Democrat or a Republican? Even if that judge is neutral and tries to issue a judicious opinion, his decision will be suspect.
Most other states do not pick judges this way. Pennsylvania, however, is always mired in the past, unable to reform judicial selection, school funding, legislative district drawing, marijuana laws, or the transportation system. On the other hand, the legislature is working on a bill to allow anyone to carry concealed weapons without a permit.
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