RNC Petitions Supreme Court to Strike Down Mail-In Ballot Laws

Must all ballots be received by election day or only cast by election day?

Published 9 hours ago

RNC Petitions Supreme Court to Strike Down Mail-In Ballot Laws

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Above: The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4. Image credit: Celal Gunes/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The law leaves no room for doubt; Congress designates the day for an election, and the states must abide by it. Mississippi and others, however, maintain laws allowing ballots to be counted days or even weeks after an election. Not only does this undermine Congress's authority, but it also fundamentally undermines American democracy by casting the entire electoral system under suspicion of impropriety.

Supreme Court of the United States

Pro-establishment narrative

Federal law clearly does not prevent states from counting timely-cast absentee ballots. After all, federal statutes only set the deadline for when voters must cast their ballots, not for when states must receive them. Invalidating these laws would not strengthen U.S. democracy; rather, it would weaken it by overturning laws that exist in most states and sparking chaos nationwide.

Supreme Court of the United States