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Top Story

1. Supreme Court Vacates 3rd Circuit Ruling On Undated Mail Ballots

“The U.S. Supreme Court has thrown out a lower court’s ruling that had allowed the counting of undated mail-in ballots in a Pennsylvania race.

The justices vacated the ruling by the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as requested by David Ritter, who lost his 2021 bid for a spot on the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas by five votes after 257 absentee ballots without date notations were counted.

The action means that the ruling cannot be used as precedent in any of the three states covered by the 3rd Circuit – Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware – to allow the counting of ballots with errors such as a voter omitting the date on the return envelope. The vacated ruling does not change the outcome of the race.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

The Supreme Court Just Undid a Key Ruling For Counting Undated PA Mail Ballots. “The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday invalidated a lower-court decision that had allowed undated mail ballots to be counted in Pennsylvania, injecting new uncertainty into election rules that could affect thousands of votes next month.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• U.S. Supreme Court Throws Out Lower Court Ruling That Undated Vote-By-Mail Ballots Must Be Counted. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
• US Justices Reverse PA Mail-In Voting Law Decision. (AP)

Senate

2. Fetterman Says Stroke Recovery ‘Changes Everything’ But That He’s Fit to Serve

“John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee in a crucial Pennsylvania Senate race, still struggles to understand what he hears and to speak clearly following a stroke in May.

In an exclusive broadcast interview with NBC News taped Friday at his home, Fetterman said both that his recovery “changes everything” and that it would not affect his ability to serve in the Senate if voters choose him over Republican Mehmet Oz.” (NBC News)

Related

Why Fewer Americans Are Likely to Vote For a Republican Senator and a Democratic Governor. “While there will still be at least minor differences in these races, nowadays most voters tend to fall in line behind either the Democratic or Republican candidates, making it more likely that a state’s election results for Senate and governor will look pretty similar.” (FiveThirtyEight)

Third-Party Candidates Could Make a Difference In a Close Race Between Oz and Fetterman. “Despite all the money spent by the two major party candidates attacking each other in the U.S. Senate race, Pennsylvania voters do have other choices on the ballot.” (CBS Pittsburgh)

A Tale of Two Campaigns: Fetterman Rallies With His Base While Oz Tries To Win Over Voters In Smaller Circles. “The differing approaches reflect the strategies, strengths, and limitations of both campaigns in the critical four-week stretch before the election.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

• Biden Will Hold Fundraiser For Fetterman in Philadelphia Next Week. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Top Democratic Super PAC To Air Ads On Animal Cruelty Accusations Against Oz. “Senate Majority PAC, the top outside group looking to keep the legislative chamber in Democratic control, will begin spending millions on Tuesday airing an ad that emotionally attacks Pennsylvania Republican nominee Mehmet Oz over allegations that medical studies he oversaw led to animal abuse.” (CNN)

Governor

3. Four Maps Show Where Mastriano, Shapiro Getting Big Cash

“Tens of millions of dollars from out-of-state donors and political action committees have poured into Pennsylvania to influence the outcome of the critical race for governor, much of it in support of Democratic nominee Josh Shapiro, a new Spotlight PA analysis shows.

This race is one of the most closely watched gubernatorial contests in the country and has attracted tens of millions in donations — thanks in part to Pennsylvania’s lack of limits on campaign contributions.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Is Abortion Access Important to You? Then Keep An Eye On The PA Governor’s Race. “Pennsylvania—home of the Liberty Bell, Hershey’s chocolate, and Taylor Swift’s Christmas-tree-farm childhood—is your classic, nail-biting swing state, but in the past few years, the numbers have gotten really wild.” (Cosmopolitan)

New Pennsylvania Veterans PAC Opposes Doug Mastriano For Violating Sacred Military Oath of Office. “Founder Danny Ceisler said its first order of business is staunchly and actively opposing the Republican gubernatorial nominee for flagrantly and outrageously violating his military oath by participating in the January 6 insurrection.” (PoliticsPA)

Mastriano Slated to Speak at ReAwaken America Tour in Manheim. “Republican candidate for governor Doug Mastriano is listed as one of the featured speakers at the right-wing ReAwaken America tour event on the weekend of October 21-22 at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, Pa.” (PoliticsPA)

Lori Shapiro: A Behind-The-Scenes Motivator In Husband’s Gubernatorial Campaign. “At 49, Lori Shapiro’s friends say she is the behind-the-scenes rock for her husband but together they strive to keep their family and his political life in balance.” (PennLive)

Political Ads Maintain Pressure On Mastriano Over Ties To Site Used By Tree of Life Shooter. “With the Nov. 8 election less than a month away — and the four-year anniversary of the Oct. 27 Tree of Life shooting even closer — Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano is once again being hammered for ties to Gab, an antisemitic website frequented by accused synagogue shooter Robert Bowers.” (WESA)

‘Uncharted Territory.’ PA Candidates Mum On Whether They’ll Accept 2022 Election Results. “At the top of the ticket for governor, Republican Doug Mastriano and his running mate have declined to say whether they’ll accept the results of the election. This uncertainty — coupled with Pennsylvania’s protracted vote-counting system — could produce chaos in the days, weeks or even months after ballots are cast Nov. 8.” (Pocono Record)

Around The Commonwealth

Watching the Candidates

• PA-05 Candidate Forum. (PoliticsPA)
• PA-07 Debate. (WFMZ)

PA Senate Preview: Southeast. “We continue our series on the Pennsylvania state Senate races with a look at the southeast region. A reminder that only even-numbered Districts are up for election this season.” (PoliticsPA)

• HD 129. “Democrat Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz and Republican Barry Llewellyn are competing for the open seat.” (Reading Eagle)

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald Proposes 2023 Budget With No Tax Increases. “The $1.02 billion operating budget includes a 2.9% increase from the 2022 budget due to increased personnel costs expected in 2023.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Robertson Proposes Budget With 6.75% County Tax Hike. “Luzerne County Manager Randy Robertson is proposing a 6.75% real estate tax increase in his proposed 2023 budget, he said in his Tuesday night presentation to county council.” (Times-Leader)

PA Department of State Anticipates ‘Several Days Worth of Work’ to Tally Election Results. “With counties still barred from opening and scanning mail-in ballots earlier than 7 a.m. on Election Day, Pennsylvania election officials anticipate delayed results for the November general election.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

Rick Cessar, Longtime State Representative From Etna, Dies. ““He was a great leader for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County,” said D. Michael Fisher, a longtime state senator and now senior judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.” (Tribune-Review)

Opinion

• Republicans Should Fear November 8. If They Lose, They Lose a Lot. (Ramesh Ponnuru)
• Young Immigrants Are Turning to Social Media to Engage On Politics, Elections. (Sara Wilf, Elena Maker, Taina Quiles)
• Anthony DeLuca’s Public Service Set Example For Others to Follow. (Tribune-Review)
• Old Enough to Vote, Too Young to Care? (Chris Kelly)
• Care Must Be Taken When Those Seeking To Sow Chaos Are Allowed Access to Mailed Ballots. (LNP | Lancaster Online)
• Will It Be Land of Oz? Or Unfettered Fetterman? (Chris Freind)
• When a High Court Justice Dies, Who Should Decide a Replacement? (Tribune-Review)
• Doug’s Dug Himself a Nice, Deep Hole. (Russell Frank)