"The justices are considering Watson v Republican National Committee, a challenge over a Mississippi state law that was brought in 2024 by the Republican party. Mississippi allows mailed ballots to be counted if they arrive within five business days of election day, so long as they were postmarked by election day."
"Based on the justices' questions, it is clear the case isn't focused narrowly on Mississippi's grace period, but on other states' rules, which in some cases allow for a longer grace period and don't require postmarks."
"History shows that election administration is dynamic, Stewart told the justices. States have wide leeway. They just have to make sure that the voters make a choice by election day."
"The liberal justices also said the plaintiffs challenged the grace period, bringing up other federal laws that acknowledge such grace periods, like the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act."
The US Supreme Court is reviewing a case that could restrict how mail-in ballots are counted if they arrive after election day. The case, Watson v Republican National Committee, challenges Mississippi's law allowing ballots to be counted if received within five business days post-election, provided they are postmarked by election day. This law, enacted during the Covid-19 pandemic, reflects similar regulations in fourteen states and territories. The court's conservative justices questioned the legality of such grace periods, while liberal justices referenced federal laws supporting them.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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