Courts Wrestle With Legality of Changes to Election Procedures Close to Voting Day

In the run-up to Election Day, court battles have emerged over various policies related to ballots, election integrity, and vote-processing procedures. Each case raises a typical judicial question: whether the policies align with state or federal law. A common issue in many of these cases is whether judges should exercise their discretion to uphold or invalidate policies so close to Nov. 5. Cases in Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi have each seen attorneys discussing something known as the Purcell principle, which is generally understood to caution against last-minute changes to election procedures. The exact contours of when and how that principle applies have been subject to debate....