GOP challenge to provisional ballot rules in battleground state's high court is rejected.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the state must count provisional ballots for voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected or improperly filled out, potentially giving thousands of voters in the state a second chance to vote.

In recent weeks, Republicans have filed nearly 100 election-related court challenges, claiming they are legal challenges aimed at preventing voter fraud through absentee and mail-in ballots.

Swing states crucial for both candidates to win the presidency have seen numerous filings.

In Pennsylvania, the RNC had challenged a lower court ruling that permitted voters who accidentally submitted their mail-in ballots without an enclosed "secrecy" envelope to vote in-person provisional ballots at their polling station.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the decision of a lower court that ruled a local election board in Butler County had been incorrect in disqualifying provisional ballots cast by several residents in the 2024 primary election.

In Pennsylvania, provisional ballots serve as a "safety net" to prevent disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

Only after confirming a person's eligibility to vote and the rejection of their mail-in ballot can provisional votes be counted.

"According to Donahue, the statutory right to count provisional ballots when mail ballots are void due to not using a Secrecy Envelope is intended to prevent potential disenfranchisement of eligible voters."

The decision will affect an unknown number of residents in Pennsylvania, and the Republican Party did not respond to Planet Chronicle's request for comment.

Democrats have seized on Republican lawsuits as a means of disenfranchising voters, positioning themselves as the party that supports free and fair elections.

In the U.S., party efforts aim to educate voters in crucial swing states on voting procedures.

The court's ruling was rejected as "bogus legal claims" by a Democratic Party official and a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign in a statement on Thursday.

"Republicans are attempting to hinder your vote, but Democrats are safeguarding it and advocating for the principle that every eligible voter has the right to express their opinion, regardless of their political affiliation. This decision reinforces this principle."

State Supreme Court justice explains that provisional ballots serve as a backup to prevent voter disenfranchisement in case of errors in mail-in ballots.