Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Must Count Provisional Votes From Those Who Submitted “Naked” Mail-in Ballots
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that counties must count provisional ballots cast in person by voters who mistakenly submitted “naked” mail-in ballots that lacked an inner secrecy envelope.
According to the consequential 4-3 opinion, a lower court “correctly discerned, the casting of a provisional ballot is specifically authorized in the Election Code.”
“Provisional ballots exist as a failsafe to preserve access to the right to vote…[and are] intended to alleviate potential disenfranchisement for eligible voters. Counting Electors’ provisional ballots, when their mail ballots are void for failing to use a Secrecy Envelope, is a statutory right,” the opinion continues.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by two Butler County voters for whom the county board of elections refused to count their provisional ballots cast in the 2024 primary election. In a Sept. 5 ruling affirmed by today’s decision, the Commonwealth Court sided with the voters, concluding that the board erred when it disenfranchised the voters by disqualifying their provisional ballots.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) and state GOP promptly appealed the Commonwealth Court’s ruling to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which agreed to review the case last month.
The Republican appellants argued that allowing Butler County voters to cast provisional ballots would essentially force the county to implement cure procedures for those who submit naked ballots — a proposition rejected by the court in today’s ruling. Although Butler County currently allows voters to cure defective mail-in ballots with date or signature errors, it does not provide such a remedy for naked ballots.
The RNC and state GOP had maintained that Pennsylvania law precludes the counting of a provisional ballot if the voter’s mail-in ballot is timely received — even in cases where the mail-in ballot is tossed out due to a disqualifying error.
Meanwhile, the voters — who inadvertently forgot to place their mail-in ballots in a secrecy envelope — alleged that the board’s rejection of their provisional ballots ran afoul of state election law and the Pennsylvania Constitution’s guarantee of “free and equal” elections.
The Democratic National Committee echoed that position and stated in a court filing that the RNC’s argument “serves no purpose but to disenfranchise mail voters.”
On appeal, the voters also emphasized that provisional voting is distinct from discretionary ballot curing, contending that the RNC “erroneously conflates ‘notice and cure’ programs with Pennsylvania’s longstanding statutory provisional ballot process.”
Under previous Pennsylvania Supreme Court precedent, counties are not legally obligated to offer notice-and-cure procedures, but many do so voluntarily. In a brief supporting the Butler County voters, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt (R) reiterated that provisional voting isn’t tantamount to curing.
Schmidt further acknowledged state law is somewhat ambiguous as to whether counties should count provisional ballots cast by voters who timely returned defective mail-in ballots. However, in line with the Commonwealth Court’s reasoning, he maintained that “arbitrarily denying provisional voting only to mail voters who timely return invalid mail ballots serves no election purpose and therefore unconstitutionally burdens the right to vote.”
A decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court remains pending in another case that could affect the upcoming election. In that lawsuit — stemming from Washington County — the RNC asserts that counties should not be required to notify voters if their mail-in ballots are rejected for technical errors.
Last month, the state Supreme Court rejected Republicans’ wholesale request to ban ballot curing statewide and secure a ruling to prohibit voters from voting provisionally as a means of rectifying their faulty mail-in ballots.
Read the ruling here.
Learn more about the case here.
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – David Armond Mansel, aged 89, passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Born and raised in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, on August 8, 1936, David resided in Transfer, Pennsylvania. He was deeply rooted in his faith in God.
He served in the Army in Germany in the 1960s and worked construction for many years. He was proud of his roots on his family’s farm.
David, who was known to many as Uncle Dave, loved to dance and spend time on his boat cruising the Shenango Reservoir. His friendly, outgoing personality helped him to meet people wherever he went, especially on the dance floor. He loved to teach people how to dance the jitter bug (among other dances) in his favorite zoot suit, hat and black and white dance shoes. He was also often seen on one of his many vehicles, like his Mustang convertible, CanAm, or Segway.
He is survived by his brother, James; his sister and brother-in-law, Denise and Skip Wentz; his sister-in-law, Gloria Mansel; his aunt, Nancy Sabella and his special nieces and nephews who spent a lot of time with him in his later years, Lisa and Jim Blair, Nicole and Brian Serafin, Terry Thompson and Darrell and Jeanie Thompson. He also leaves many more nieces, nephews and cousins and his extended Italian American family.
David was predeceased by his children, Darcy, in 1988 and Wade, 2024. He was also predeceased by his parents, Michael and Clara Mansel; his brother, Leonard and sister, Esther Thompson.
A celebration to remember David will be announced at a later time.
Arrangements handled by John Flynn Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
Messages of sympathy, stories and photos can be shared on David’s memorial page, at: www.flynnfuneralhome.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David A. Mansel, please visit our floral store.
A television tribute will air Thursday, April 23 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
Pennsylvania
Sen. John Fetterman receives no support for re-election from Pennsylvania House Democrats: report
Pennsylvania Democrats are reluctant to support Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., for re-election, according to a new report.
Punchbowl News spoke to several Pennsylvania congressional members on Monday about whether they’d be willing to endorse Fetterman for another term in 2028 despite the backlash he’s been facing for opposing the Democratic Party.
“Want a sense of how tenuous Sen. John Fetterman’s (D-Pa.) position is with Pennsylvania Democrats? Not a single Pennsylvania House Democrat in the delegation will say Fetterman should run for re-election as a Democrat,” the report said.
Though the House members did not explicitly reject the idea of Fetterman running again, they avoided answering whether they believed Fetterman should seek a second term as a Democrat, often focusing instead on the 2026 midterm elections.
“My focus right now is on 2026, but I would just say I’d be very surprised if he ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate,” Rep. Brendan Boyle said.
Rep. Chris Deluzio also answered that he would see what happens after 2026, though Punchbowl News acknowledged both he and Boyle are rumored to be launching their own Senate bids in 2028.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon added that she was interested in “getting through 2026 first.”
“I’ll hold my tongue so I don’t get in trouble,” Scanlon said.
Rep. Summer Lee told Punchbowl News the decision was “up to him” whether Fetterman should run, though she added that he would do so “at his own peril.”
Others were more vocal about their disagreements with Fetterman, though they stopped short of rejecting the idea of Fetterman running again.
“My concern is entirely about him and his health, and I’ll let 2028 take care of itself,” Rep. Madeleine Dean said.
“I disagree with many of his votes.”
“It’s no secret that I’ve been disappointed with some of his votes and that I’m confused by it,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan added.
“But I’m not responsible for deciding whether he runs again.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman’s office and the other Pennsylvania Democrats mentioned in the report for comment.
Fetterman has publicly spoken out against his party on several issues, particularly its growing hostility against Israel.
The Pennsylvania senator has also supported President Donald Trump in his ongoing war against Iran and strict border policies.
Though strategists have suggested Fetterman could switch parties because of his bipartisan stance, he previously ruled out leaving the Democratic Party last year.
“I’m not going to switch. I’m just going to be an independent voice in the Democratic Party. I’m not going to be afraid of people,” Fetterman said.
“CBS Mornings” exclusively revealed Pennsylvania high school teacher Leon Smith as the 2026 National Teacher of the Year, which is selected by the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year program.
Smith, a social studies teacher at Haverford High School in Havertown, Pennsylvania, said the honor “just means everything.”
“It’s just such an honor to be able to represent teachers all over the country and really stand on the shoulders of so many others that have come before me that have done just such great work,” Smith said in an interview with “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday.
Smith, who teaches AP U.S. history and AP African American studies, was previously named the 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.
In a video, students at Haverford High School and colleagues described Smith as passionate, caring, charismatic and engaging.
“He is everything you want in a teacher,” principal Pete Donaghy said in the video. “He relates African American studies or U.S. history to his students.”
Smith reflected on the difference teachers can make in the lives of their students. For him, his favorite teacher was his first grade teacher, Ms. Mason.
“Just how she made me feel,” Smith said. “So I just think that’s the power of a teacher, that it’s not always the content but it’s how you make the students feel is what they remember.”
Smith said he thinks it’s crucial to let students “know that you care.”
“And also just being able to see things in students that they cannot see in themselves.”
Smith is also a longtime basketball coach, coaching the freshman team at Haverford High School.
“I was one of his players and he made sure that I felt seen,” a former player told “CBS Mornings.” “He made me feel like I actually had a purpose.”
Smith’s love for basketball started when he was young. His favorite player ever is Julius Erving, known as Dr. J., who Smith said made him “fall in love” with the game.
Erving surprised Smith on “CBS Mornings” by congratulating him in person on being named the National Teacher of the Year.
“When I got the notification about Leon, I realized that his school Haverford is literally right around the corner from a house that I lived in for 11 years,” Erving said. “So there was a connection … I said, ‘Well, let’s go and be on the show. Go see some people. Spread some joy. Spread some love.’”
Erving recalled a teacher who had an impact on his life.
“The most significant was Mr. Ray Wilson, who actually taught special ed in my high school, but he was also my basketball coach,” Erving said, describing Wilson as a lifelong mentor.
“He lived until he was in his 80s, and he was always there. He was always my first call anytime anything came up. Big or small, I could always call him, anytime, day or night. That was special.”
Smith called meeting Erving an honor and said he’s thankful for a moment that he’ll never forget.
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