Map Ruling: Last Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it declined to hear a challenge to the state’s congressional redistricting plan brought by several Republicans. This means that the maps selected by the PA Supreme Court for the 2022 election cycle, will stay in place. The justices did not explain their actions, as is common in emergency applications.

Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the map approved by the General Assembly, while a group of voters challenged the new lines in state court.

Mail-In Voting: Last Tuesday, the PA Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the constitutionality of Act 77 of 2019 that, among other measures, allowed mail-in voting without requiring a specific excuse. It also eliminated straight-party voting. The litigation came from a group of Republican state representatives.

Chief Justice Max Baer did not say when the court would decide based on Tuesday’s arguments, although he suggested that if they were to throw out Act 77, it could remain in place through the spring primary, scheduled for May 17.

The issue landed before the PA Supreme Court after the state’s Commonwealth Court in January ruled Act 77 as “unconstitutional,” saying voting requires the physical presence of the voter and that the legislature would need to alter the state’s constitution to change how voting works in Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration appealed that 3-2 ruling.