Supreme Court Upholds Mississippi Law Counting Mail Ballots Postmarked by Election Day
On June 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Watson v. Republican National Committee that states may count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day even if they arrive afterward, rejecting a Republican challenge to Mississippi's law allowing receipt up to five business days after the election. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court's three Democratic appointees, holding that federal "election-day" statutes set a deadline for casting ballots but do not bar states from counting ballots received later. Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh dissented. The RNC, the Mississippi Republican Party, and the Libertarian Party of Mississippi had challenged the grace period, which is one of roughly 18 similar state laws. The decision was a defeat for President Trump and Republicans, who had pushed to require ballots be received by Election Day.