⁍ Republicans wanted to block an extended deadline for receiving mail-in ballots in next Tuesday’s election in Pennsylvania.

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⁍ The action means a Sept. 17 ruling by Pennsylvania’s top court will remain in place for now.

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⁍ Justice Samuel Alito, joined by fellow conservatives Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said in a written opinion that there is a ‘strong likelihood’ that the state court’s decision violates the U.S. Constitution.

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– With less than a week to go until Election Day, the US Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from the Republican Party of Pennsylvania that would have extended the deadline for receiving mail-in ballots in the swing state. The decision means the Sept. 17 ruling by Pennsylvania’s top court allowing mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received up to three days later to be counted will remain in place for now, Reuters reports. The Supreme Court already had rejected a prior Republican request to block the lower court ruling on Oct. 19. This time, the justices opted not to fast-track their consideration of an appeal of the state court ruling by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania to hear and decide the case before the election. Pennsylvania is being closely contested by Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Trump won the state in 2016 but is now trailing Biden there in many opinion polls. Justice Samuel Alito, joined by fellow conservatives Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said in a written opinion that there is a ‘strong likelihood’ that the state court’s decision violates the US Constitution and it should be reviewed before the election. “But I reluctantly conclude that there is simply not enough time at this late date to decide the question before the election,” Alito wrote.