Supreme Court says states can count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states can count mail ballots cast by Election Day but arriving later, upholding Mississippi’s law against a GOP challenge. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, with Chief Justice John Roberts and three liberal justices, stated that federal laws set Election Day but don’t specify a deadline for ballot receipt, allowing Mississippi to count late-arriving ballots. This decision, in the case of Watson v. Republican National Committee, could impact similar laws in over a dozen states. President Trump, who opposes mail voting, urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act to impose stricter voting rules. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch hopes state lawmakers will amend the law to require ballots to be received by Election Day. The ruling highlights the balance of federalism in election laws and the ongoing debate over mail voting’s role in elections. QUESTION: How might the Supreme Court’s decision on mail-in ballots influence future voting laws and practices in the United States?