The opinion
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
EASTERN DISTRICT
BRIAN T. BAXTER AND SUSAN T. : No. 395 EAL 2024
KINNIRY :
:
: Petition for Allowance of Appeal
v. : from the Order of the
: Commonwealth Court
:
PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF ELECTIONS, :
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, :
AND REPUBLICAN PARTY OF :
PENNSYLVANIA :
:
:
PETITION OF: REPUBLICAN NATIONAL :
COMMITTEE AND REPUBLICAN PARTY :
OF PENNSYLVANIA :
BRIAN T. BAXTER AND SUSAN T. : No. 396 EAL 2024
KINNIRY :
:
: Petition for Allowance of Appeal
v. : from the Order of the
: Commonwealth Court
:
PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF ELECTIONS, :
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, :
AND REPUBLICAN PARTY OF :
PENNSYLVANIA :
:
:
PETITION OF: REPUBLICAN NATIONAL :
COMMITTEE AND REPUBLICAN PARTY :
OF PENNSYLVANIA :
ORDER
PER CURIAM
AND NOW, this 17th day of January, 2025, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal is
GRANTED, LIMITED TO the issues set forth below. Allocatur is DENIED as to all
remaining issues. The issues, rephrased for clarity, are:
(1) Did the Commonwealth Court err in barring enforcement of the Election
Code’s mail-in and absentee ballot envelope dating requirements, see 25
P.S. §§3146.6(a), 3150.16, upon the rationale that those requirements
violate the “Free and Equal Elections Clause” found in Article I, Section 5 of
the Pennsylvania Constitution?
(2) If the Commonwealth Court did not so err, does its ruling activate the
nonseverability clause included in Section 11 of the Act of October 31, 2019,
Pub. L. 552, No. 77 (“Act 77”) (see 25 P.S. §2602, Note), so as to require
invalidation of the entirety of Act 77?
The Application to Intervene of Proposed Intervenor-Respondent and Proposed
Answer to Petition for Allowance of Appeal filed by the Pennsylvania Democratic Party is
GRANTED.
Respondents Brian T. Baxter and Susan T. Kinniry are DIRECTED to satisfy the
requirements of Pa.R.A.P. 521(a) (relating to the provision of notice to the Attorney
General of Pennsylvania of a constitutional challenge to a statute where neither the
Commonwealth nor any officer thereof is a party).
Justice Donohue files a concurring and dissenting statement in which Justice
McCaffery joins.
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