Oct 8, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Appeals court blocks six-day extension for counting Wisconsin ballots

Maria Arias

Illustration of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Georgia with “I voted” stickers — Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

The full 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday blocked a lower court's ruling that extended the deadline for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin to Nov. 9 as long as they are postmarked by the Nov. 3 election.

Why it matters: The ruling, if it stands, is a win for Republicans who had sought to curb the amount of time allowed to count ballots in this decisive battleground state. Wisconsin is expecting 2 million absentee voters due to the pandemic.

What to watch: Democrats will likely appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Republicans in Pennsylvania have already asked the Supreme Court to halt a major state court ruling that extended the deadlines for mail-in ballots to several days after the election.

Go deeper: How the Supreme Court could decide the election

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Appeals court blocks six-day extension for counting Wisconsin ballots

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