Democratic officials celebrated the ruling as a victory for free and fair elections, contrasting with ongoing Republican efforts perceived as attempts to disenfranchise voters.

This decision marks the second time Judge Baxter has found Pennsylvania's mail-in voting law, established by Act 77 in 2020, to improperly disenfranchise voters.

The Pennsylvania Department of State has not confirmed whether this ruling applies to the upcoming primary, and Republican groups have the option to appeal the decision.

RNC spokesperson Abigail Jackson announced plans to appeal the ruling, asserting that the envelope signature requirement is a necessary safeguard against fraud.

The ruling follows a previous announcement by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to consider the same issue, indicating ongoing legal scrutiny.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal related to mail-in ballot disqualifications, indicating continued legal challenges surrounding the date requirement.

Recent changes to envelope designs have reportedly reduced the number of invalidated votes in Pennsylvania, reflecting ongoing adjustments to improve mail-in voting.

The judge stated that the envelope dating requirement violates the U.S. Constitution, infringing on voters' rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

Baxter criticized the exterior envelope dates as a mere 'compliance test' lacking any substantial state interest, highlighting that over 10,000 votes were invalidated in the 2022 election due to this mandate.

On March 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter ruled that Pennsylvania election boards cannot invalidate mail-in ballots due to inaccurate dates on their return envelopes.

This ruling is part of a lawsuit filed by national Democratic congressional and senate campaign committees, along with the American Federation of Teachers, against Pennsylvania's county boards of elections.

The plaintiffs argued that the date requirement is an unnecessary compliance test for voters, which has led to significant disenfranchisement.