Election 2020

Federal judge stays Trump campaign lawsuit over Pa. voting rules

U.S District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan's order says the federal case won’t move forward pending the conclusion or delay of similar lawsuits in Pennsylvania state courts.

Emily Previti

August 23, 2020

A worker processes mail-in ballots at the Bucks County Board of Elections office prior to the primary election, Wednesday, May 27, in Doylestown, Pa. (Matt Slocum/AP Photo)

This story originally appeared on WITF.

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A federal judge has ordered a stay in President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign’s lawsuit seeking to ban mailed ballot drop boxes and other changes to Pennsylvania election procedure.

It’s possible U.S District Court Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan could take up the case again before the election.

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But his ruling filed Sunday says the federal case won’t move forward until similar lawsuits in Pennsylvania state courts conclude or unless they’re delayed.

It also cancels arguments previously scheduled for mid-September.

In addition to the drop box ban, the Trump campaign’s lawsuit asks the federal court to bar counties from accepting absentee ballots that don’t arrive without a second, internal secrecy envelope sent to all voters. The suit also wants the residency requirement for poll watchers lifted, so that any Pennsylvania voter could serve in that function at any polling location in the state.

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