US supreme court appears poised to limit mail-in ballots ahead of midterms
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- The US Supreme Court is considering a case challenging Mississippi's law allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by election day to be counted if received within five business days after, a rule shared by 14 states, DC, and three territories.
- The Republican National Committee argues this grace period violates federal law requiring ballots to be received by election day, while Mississippi defends its right to set election procedures, emphasizing voter choice by election day.
- Conservative justices expressed concerns about election integrity and potential fraud from late-arriving ballots, questioning limits on grace periods, while liberal justices highlighted federal laws supporting such periods and the prevalence of early voting.
- Voting rights groups and military/overseas voter advocates support Mississippi’s law, noting grace periods help overcome unique voting barriers, whereas Republicans seek stricter deadlines to avoid prolonged election results and confusion.
- The case reflects broader Republican divisions over mail voting, with some pushing to ban it entirely despite many GOP voters relying on it, as eliminating grace periods could negatively impact Republican candidates.
