Supreme Court Rules States Can Count Late-Arriving Mail-In Ballots, Rejects Republican National Committee Case
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has ruled that elections officials may count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day if they were postmarked beforehand, rejecting a challenge by the Republican National Committee.
In a 5-4 decision, the court held that a Mississippi law allowing late-arriving ballots to be counted does not conflict with federal law. The ruling, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, is a setback for President Donald Trump, who has criticized mail-in voting as prone to fraud without providing evidence.
The decision ensures that similar laws in 13 other states, including California, New York, and Texas, will remain in effect for the upcoming midterm elections. These laws permit ballots to be counted if they were mailed by the Election Day deadline.
A victory for the Republican National Committee would have raised questions about laws affecting overseas voters, including members of the military, in 29 states with extended deadlines. The Mississippi law allows mail-in ballots to be counted up to five days after Election Day if they were sent beforehand.
The state's Republican attorney general, Lynn Fitch, defended the law in court, while the Republican National Committee, the state's Republican Party, and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi challenged it. The Supreme Court's ruling follows an October 2024 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had ruled that ballots must be received by state officials by Election Day under federal law.
In a 5-4 decision, the court held that a Mississippi law allowing late-arriving ballots to be counted does not conflict with federal law. The ruling, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, is a setback for President Donald Trump, who has criticized mail-in voting as prone to fraud without providing evidence.
The decision ensures that similar laws in 13 other states, including California, New York, and Texas, will remain in effect for the upcoming midterm elections. These laws permit ballots to be counted if they were mailed by the Election Day deadline.
A victory for the Republican National Committee would have raised questions about laws affecting overseas voters, including members of the military, in 29 states with extended deadlines. The Mississippi law allows mail-in ballots to be counted up to five days after Election Day if they were sent beforehand.
The state's Republican attorney general, Lynn Fitch, defended the law in court, while the Republican National Committee, the state's Republican Party, and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi challenged it. The Supreme Court's ruling follows an October 2024 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had ruled that ballots must be received by state officials by Election Day under federal law.
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