🦃 Wednesday. One More Day. We’re off for the rest of the week to enjoy the holiday with family. Here’s hoping you have a safe, happy and healthy holiday.

PA Weather
☂️ Pittsburgh | Mostly Cloudy, Chance of Rain, 46
🌥️ Harrisburg | Partly Sunny, 54
🌥️ Philadelphia | Partly Sunny, 58

PA Sports
🏈 Eagles (9-1) | Sun vs. Buffalo
🏈 Steelers (6-4) | Sun vs. Cincinnati
🏈 Penn State (9-2) | Fri vs. Michigan State
🏈 Temple (3-8) | Fri vs. Memphis
🏈 Pitt (3-8) | Sat vs. Duke
⚽ Union | Sat vs. Cincinnati FC (MLS Semifinal)
🏀 Sixers (10-4) | Cleveland 119-122 (OT) | Wed vs. Minnesota
🏒 Penguins (9-8-0) | Wed vs. NY Rangers
🏒 Flyers (10-7-1) | Wed vs. NY Islanders

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Sen. Tim Kearney and Reagan McCarthy of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s office.

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Top Story

1. Battleground PA: Undated Mail Ballots Should Be Counted, Says District Judge

“We know that the Commonwealth will be a battleground for the 2024 presidential and U.S. Senate races, but now Pennsylvania is set up to be a U.S. Supreme Court battleground as well.

U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter ruled on Tuesday that mailed ballots that arrive on time but in envelopes without dates handwritten by Pennsylvania voters should be counted.

“The Court has concluded that the Commonwealth’s mandatory application of its Date Requirement violates the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Federal Judge Says Pennsylvania Mail-In Ballots Should Still Count If Dated Incorrectly. “Mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania without accurate handwritten dates on their exterior envelopes must still be counted if they are received in time, a judge ruled Tuesday, concluding that rejecting such ballots violates federal civil rights law.” (AP)

Federal Judge Rules Undated Mail-In Ballots in Pennsylvania Must Be Counted. “A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled on Monday that mail-in ballots that are received on time but are undated should be counted, arguing that a state law rejecting such votes violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” (New York Times)

PA Counties Must Accept Undated, Incorrectly Dated Mail Ballots, Federal Court Rules. “A federal court has directed Pennsylvania counties to accept mail ballots that a voter has failed to date or misdated, a long-awaited decision that could affect thousands of ballots in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.” (Votebeat)

State

2. Shapiro Appeals Decision Blocking Plan To Make Power Plants Pay For Greenhouse Gases

“Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said Tuesday that it is appealing a court ruling that blocked a state regulation to make Pennsylvania’s power plant owners pay for their planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, even as the Democrat warned lawmakers to get to work on a better alternative.

In a statement, Shapiro didn’t pledge to enforce the regulation, should his administration win the appeal at the Democratic-majority state Supreme Court. His appeal revolves around the need to preserve executive authority, his administration said.

But he also urged lawmakers to come up with an alternative plan.” (AP)

Related

State Appeals Carbon ‘Tax’ Decision. “The Shapiro administration will appeal a Pennsylvania court’s decision to strike down a proposed carbon “tax” as unconstitutional in a bid to “protect” the authority of future governors.” (The Center Square)

How Galloway Leaving Harrisburg For District Judge Job Could Shift Power In PA Legislature. “After nine terms representing Lower Bucks County in Harrisburg, Rep. John Galloway will take a new role as district justice in Falls. But how will his party choose a successor for the long-time state office holder?” (Bucks County Courier Times)

Nelson Bows Out of PA-17 Race. “Republicans lost PA-17 by seven points in 2022 and we’re well on the way to history repeating itself. In fact, we’ll be in a worse position against an incumbent versus the open-seat midterm election. I am gracefully bowing out of this race because I am a fighter, not an infighter.” (Tribune-Review)

Kathy Boockvar Talks About Election Issues Ahead Of 2024. “Former Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar is concerned about the state of American democracy.” (WITF)

Pennsylvania Society Calendar of Events. We will be updating the calendar regularly as we approach next weekend’s gathering in New York City. (PoliticsPA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. How Bethel’s ‘Strong And Direct’ Persona And Focus On Protecting Kids Made Him Philly’s Next Police Commish

“In the aftermath of a 2006 shooting, Kevin Bethel, the then-captain of the neighborhood’s 17th District, grew emotional. “What threshold do we have to hit,” he told reporters, “before people start to realize how serious this is?”

And now it will be Bethel’s responsibility to turn the tide, to prevent more kids from being traumatized by the long, unpredictable shadow of gun violence. On Wednesday, during a news conference at City Hall, Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker plans to introduce Bethel as Philadelphia’s next police commissioner.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Related

HD-14: Kozak Targets Beaver County Seat. “Roman Kozak, chair of the Beaver County Republican Party, is shooting for even bigger things in the New Year as he has announced his candidacy for the 14th Legislative District seat.” (PoliticsPA)

Central Bucks Republican Voters Ask For A Recount Over School Board Election Results. “Petitions filed in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas claim there was “fraud or error” in the results. A Democratic elections lawyer called it a “waste of time.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Northampton County Certifies Election Results Despite Outcry Over Election Integrity. “The Northampton County Elections Commission certified this month’s election results Tuesday night despite dozens of residents calling upon them not to stand by the results due to widespread voting irregularities.” (LehighValleyNews.com)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

• The Day America Lost Its Innocence. (David Shribman)
• Would JFK Have Lost Had He Lived? (Jeff Greenfield)
• How to Botch an Assassination Investigation. (Thomas J. Baker)
• Mourning John F. Kennedy. (Charles F. McElwee)
• This Thanksgiving, Remember Gratitude Is Key To Making Democracy Work. (Washington Post)
• Democrats’ Dark Money Machine Dominated State Elections. (Matthew Brouillette)

1 Thing

5. JFK Assassination Remembered 60 Years Later

“Just minutes after President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot as his motorcade rolled through downtown Dallas, Associated Press reporter Peggy Simpson rushed to the scene and immediately attached herself to the police officers who had converged on the building from which a sniper’s bullets had been fired.

“I was sort of under their armpit,” Simpson said, noting that every time she was able to get any information from them, she would rush to a pay phone to call her editors, and then “go back to the cops.”

Simpson, now 84, is among the last surviving witnesses who are sharing their stories as the nation marks the 60th anniversary of the Nov. 22, 1963, assassination on Wednesday.” (AP)

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