In a decision that could disrupt final voting results in a key swing state, a Michigan judge ruled that ballots postmarked by November 2nd must be counted no matter when they’re received by election boards, the Associated Press reports.
“The evidence in this case stands uncontroverted and establishes that the mail system is currently fraught with delays and uncertainty in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens said.
The ruling states that ballots received by November 14th but postmarked before November 2nd–the day before Election Day–must be included in official totals.
“With the November election quickly approaching, voters and local clerks need certainty — and these decisions provide that,” Ryan Jarvi, a spokesman for Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat said. “Therefore, we do not intend to appeal but rather will use this time to educate and inform voters of their rights.”
The Trump campaign has been challenging mail-in voting laws around the country in an attempt to dissuade people from voting, to make it harder to count absentee voting, and to delegitimize mail-in votes. Many states are expanding mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Michigan expects a sharp increase in the number of mail-in ballots, with 2.3 million already requested.