Judge tosses out Pennsylvania GOP challenge on overseas voting

Zoom in: U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner dismissed the suit, saying in a memorandum he agrees with the defendants that the lawsuit was brought too late, lacked standing and had no cause of action.

• The Republican members of Congress "provide no good excuse for waiting until barely a month before the election to bring this lawsuit," the judge wrote.
• "An injunction at this late hour would upend the Commonwealth's carefully laid election administration procedures to the detriment of untold thousands of voters," Conner said.

Catch up quick: Pennsylvania Republicans — including Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Dan Meuser, Mike Kelly, G.T. Thompson, Lloyd Smucker and Scott Perry — filed a lawsuit earlier this month challenging guidance on overseas voting from Republican Secretary of State Al Schmidt.

• The lawmakers alleged that Schmidt's office overstepped its authority by instructing local election officials to exempt overseas voters from voter ID requirements.

• The Secretary of State's office accused the lawmakers of trying to "confuse and frighten" voters and noted the suit was filed two weeks after the state began mailing out overseas ballots.

Go deeper: Why the GOP is challenging overseas and military voting