Congressional Candidate Sues State To Extend Deadline For Primary

NEWTON, MA — One of the Democrats vying to represent the 4th Congressional District petitioned the state’s highest court Wednesday to extend the amount of time residents can submit ballots for the Sept. 1 primary, saying delays within the Postal Service could mean not every vote is counted.

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agreed to hear Newton City Councilor Becky Grossman’s case to count every ballot postmarked by Sept 1. Currently ballots have to get to their election office by 8 p.m. on Sept. 1 in order to be counted.

The possibility of not having all ballots counted is something that has prompted Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin to urge voters who haven't mailed in their ballots yet, to bring them physically to their election offices to be counted.

Read more: MA Voters Should Hand Deliver Mail-In Ballots, Galvin Says

Massachusetts's Attorney General has said she is filing a lawsuit to stop what critics have called the Trump administration's attempted teardown of the U.S. Postal Service ahead of mail-in voting for the presidential election. Several politicians have accused the postmaster general of helping Trump with efforts to stall mail-in voting, and Trump has said he opposes funding that would allow for more ballots to be cast by mail.

The agency has said it won't be able to guarantee ballots will arrive in time to be counted for the November election.

At 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, the court will hear the argument for having the deadline extended, the Grossman campaign said, calling it a move to ensure that every vote is counted.

"Our mission is simple," said Grossman in a statement. "Every vote postmarked by September 1st should count. We cannot allow Donald Trump to sabotage the USPS and undermine mail-in voting. We must protect every single vote and protect the health and safety of our communities."

The petition was filed with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Wednesday, Aug. 19. The campaign is being represented by Jeff Robbins, Joseph Lipchitz, and Bridgitte Mott of the law firm Saul Ewing Arnstern & Lehr, LLP.

Read more:

• MA 4th Congressional District: Voter Guide
• 4th Congressional District Poll Puts These 4 In the Lead
• MA Voters Should Hand Deliver Mail-In Ballots, Galvin Says