Supreme Court upholds late-arrival mail ballot rules, impacting dozens of states

The Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling that permits states to count mail-in ballots that were postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days afterward, upholding a Mississippi law that allows such late arrivals. The majority opinion, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the Court’s three liberal justices, held that the decision does not conflict with federal law that defines Election Day but says nothing about when ballots must be received.

Justice Barrett wrote, "The election-day statutes say nothing about ballot receipt, and we cannot add to the words Congress chose." In dissent, Justice Samuel Alito warned that accepting late-arriving ballots "effectively postpones the date on which the electorate's choice is made" and could open opportunities for fraud.

The ruling is expected to influence voting deadlines in more than a dozen states that are considered key to determining control of Congress after the November midterm elections. Republican National Committee chairman Joe Gruters said the decision allows "Democrats to invite chaos at the ballot box" and pledged continued efforts to end elections on Election Day.

California Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the decision, calling it "a win for voters, plain and simple," and said it helps ensure mailed-in ballots are counted and citizens' voices are heard. The decision follows a broader legal challenge by the Trump administration and the Republican National Committee against the Mississippi law, which argued that federal statutes require ballots to be received by Election Day.