The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold Mississippi's mail-in voting law, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett writing for the majority. The decision found that federal statutes setting Election Day do not preempt Mississippi's law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within five days. The case, Watson v. Republican National Committee, was argued in March, with the conservative majority signaling support for limiting mail-in ballot counting.
Background of the Law
Mississippi passed a bipartisan law in 2020 permitting mail-in ballots with a postmark as late as Election Day and allowing counting for up to five days afterward. The Republican National Committee, along with Mississippi Republican and Libertarian parties, sued, arguing that counting ballots after Election Day violates federal law, which designates a single day for elections.
Arguments Presented
The RNC claimed that mail-in voting leads to widespread voter fraud, though no evidence was provided. State officials countered that a grace period for counting mail-in votes is legal, consistent with 28 other states, and practical because tabulation cannot be completed in one day. They emphasized that states, not the federal government, set election terms.
According to the RNC, Election Day is a single day, and any vote counted after is unconstitutional and drains party resources. However, Mississippi officials maintained that the grace period is logical and necessary.
Impact of the Ruling
A ruling overturning the law would have severely restricted vote counting, affecting military personnel, overseas voters, and those over 65. The Supreme Court's decision preserves Mississippi's ability to count mail-in ballots received within five days of Election Day, aligning with practices in many other states.
