Judge bars absentee vote count in Philadelphia

[Duckster]

A federal judge today barred Philadelphia election officials from counting more than 12,000 absentee ballots after Philadelphia’s Republican Committee sued contending city election officials had failed to provide the GOP with an advance copy of approved absentee voters.

U.S. District Judge William H. Yohn Jr. issued the order when an oral agreement between GOP lawyers and the City Commissioners office fell apart after lawyers representing Philadelphia Democratic officials intervened and three hours of talks failed to yield a new pact.

Yohn set a hearing for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in federal court during which he will hear evidence and decide whether to extend the order that prohibits election officials from opening and counting at least 12,000 - and as many as 15,000 - received since Friday.

Source: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/breaking_news/10080898.htm?1c
We may not here from Pennsylvania until tomorrow or later.

[erislover]

So far, according to CNN PA is well in Kerry’s camp. I’m not familiar enough with PA to know which districts have a lot of population, though. CNN is showing Kerry about 1.5:1 though right now.

[Mr.Moto]

It’s the T - the conservative north and central part of Pennsylvania, that traditionally reports last.

[Tastes_of_Chocolate]

A federal judge today barred Philadelphia election officials from counting more than 12,000 absentee ballots after Philadelphia’s Republican Committee sued contending city election officials had failed to provide the GOP with an advance copy of approved absentee voters.

This site requires I register, so I’m unable to read the full article. Does anyone have any info on WHY the Republican Committee can get votes disallowed here? Why do they need to be informed in advance for an absentee ballot to be valid?