Maine’s highest court on Friday reaffirmed the deadline for absentee ballots in the November election.
According to the Portland Press Herald, the State Supreme Court sided with the office of Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, who said all absentee ballots must be returned by the time the polls close on election day.
Justices ruled 4-1 in favor of the existing deadline.
The decision came in light of a lawsuit seeking to extend the deadline for ballots that are postmarked by election day to be counted, citing an unprecedented number of absentee ballots and possible issues due to mail delays. The lawsuit called for a 10 day extension.
In the decision, the justices found that the November 3rd deadline only imposed a “modest burden on the right to vote” and the Secretary of State’s Office provided ample opportunities for voters to get their ballots delivered in time.
