"The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear a case that could decide whether states can count postmarked mail ballots that arrive after Election Day something that about 20 states and territories currently allow. Mississippi is one of those states, and in June, its top election official asked the court to hear a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee that argues the state's mail ballot grace period violates federal law."
"Nearly 20 states plus Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C., currently accept and count mail-in ballots that are received after Election Day typically, only if those ballots are postmarked on or before Election Day. States provide this wiggle room to voters in case they forget to return their mail ballots ahead of time, if there are issues with the postal service, or if there are other unforeseen issues like bad weather and natural disasters."
The Supreme Court will hear a case over whether states can count mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day but received afterward. About 20 states and several territories currently permit such grace periods. Mississippi faces an RNC challenge arguing the grace period violates federal law; an appeals court sided with the RNC but the ruling did not take immediate effect. States justify grace periods for postal delays, voter forgetfulness, and emergencies. The GOP argues that only Congress can set a uniform Election Day. Some GOP-led states have already eliminated grace periods and legal challenges continue.
Read at www.npr.org
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