The US Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 decision that states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. This decision is seen as a victory for Democrats and voting rights advocates, who argued that setting a hard deadline for ballot arrival could disenfranchise voters.

Background of the Case

The case, RNC vs. Watson, centered on a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted as long as they arrive within five business days of the election. Thirteen states have similar laws, which extend a “grace period” to ballots that arrive through the mail after polls close.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, writing for the majority, stated that federal law does not preempt the state law because elections represent when voters make a decision, which must be done on or before Election Day. Barrett noted that the decision rested on the interpretation of federal law, not the US Constitution.

Reaction to the Decision

Some local election officials had warned that requiring all ballots to be received by the close of polls would burden their offices as they try to quickly warn voters about the change just months before the midterms. David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, called the Supreme Court decision a win for states with similar laws.

Republican National Committee chairman Joe Gruters accused Democrats of inviting chaos by allowing elections to “drag on” for days and weeks after ballots are cast. President Trump also expressed his disagreement with the decision, calling it a “tremendous loss” in a social media post.

Original reporting: Renton Reporter — read the source article.