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

Updated on: June 29, 2026 / 2:38 PM EDT / CBS News

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

TL;DR

  • The Supreme Court ruled that states can count mail ballots received after Election Day if they were postmarked by the deadline.
  • The 5-4 decision upheld Mississippi's law, rejecting a challenge from the Republican National Committee.
  • Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, stating federal law does not prevent states from counting such ballots.
  • The ruling affects similar laws in at least 14 states and D.C. that allow late-arriving mail ballots.
  • Former President Trump and dissenting justices raised concerns about election integrity and potential for fraud.
  • Dissenting Justice Samuel Alito warned that counting late ballots could undermine public trust in elections.
  • Mississippi's law allows ballots received up to five days after the election to be counted if postmarked by Election Day.
  • The case is one of several election-related cases heard by the Supreme Court in its current term.