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Pennsylvania counties told to segregate ballots received after 8pm on Election Day


FILE - In this May 27, 2020 file photo, a worker processes mail-in ballots at the Bucks County Board of Elections office prior to the primary election in Doylestown, Pa. The Supreme Court’s action in a Pennsylvania voting case has heightened fears among Democrats about Amy Coney Barrett joining the high court in time to decide a post-election dispute and with it, the winner of the White House.  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
FILE - In this May 27, 2020 file photo, a worker processes mail-in ballots at the Bucks County Board of Elections office prior to the primary election in Doylestown, Pa. The Supreme Court’s action in a Pennsylvania voting case has heightened fears among Democrats about Amy Coney Barrett joining the high court in time to decide a post-election dispute and with it, the winner of the White House. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
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New guidance from the state means ballots received after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day must be separated from all other ballots, should a future court ruling mean they cannot be counted.

The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth issued guidance to the county boards of election directing them to securely segregate all mail-in and civilian absentee ballots received between 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020, from all other voted ballots, according to a letter sent to the U.S. Supreme Court from the Attorney General's Office.

RELATED | Mail-in ballot mix-ups: How much should we worry?

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that absentee and mail-in ballots mailed by voters and postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 shall be counted if they are valid and received by the county boards of election on or before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020.

You can read the full guidance below:

RELATED | Pre-canvassing efforts stall as PA legislators meet for last time before Election Day

Pennsylvania Republicans are challenging the Supreme Court ruling that allows for ballots received up to three days after the election to be counted. With the influx of mail-in ballots expected, they also have this advice for counties.

"I'm going to strongly urge every single county to start pre-canvassing the ballots on Election Day. If it's not 7:00 a.m. at some point on Election Day because it's going to take a while," Secretary of the Commonwealth, Kathy Boockvar said. "And the sooner they start, the sooner they'll finish."

READ MORE | Cumberland County explains the choice to canvas mail in ballots on Nov. 4th

Cumberland and Franklin Counties are the only two in our region that plan begin counting their mail-in ballots the day after Election Day.

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