US Supreme Court strikes Trump over mailed ballots | Today’s news
The US Supreme Court on Monday (June 29) upheld state laws that allow certain mail-in ballots received after Election Day to be counted, rejecting a Republican-backed challenge to Mississippi’s five-day grace period. The 5-4 decision is a setback for President Donald Trump, who has sought to limit mail-in voting ahead of November’s congressional elections.
How did the Supreme Court decide?
The Supreme Court ruled that Mississippi can continue to count absentee ballots that are:
-Postmarked on or before election day and
– Received within five working days after election day.
The majority included Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Amy Coney Barrett — who wrote the opinion — and the court’s three liberal justices. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh dissented.
The justices overturned a 2024 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that federal election laws require that ballots be both cast and received on Election Day.
Why was the case important?
The case had ramifications far beyond Mississippi.
About 30 states and the District of Columbia have laws that allow at least some ballots that are postmarked on Election Day to be counted after Election Day.
Why was the Mississippi law challenged?
The Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party and other plaintiffs argued that federal law sets Election Day as the deadline by which ballots must be cast and received.
The call was backed by the Trump administration, which has sought to tighten rules for mail-in voting nationwide.
Why did Trump oppose voting by mail?
Trump has repeatedly questioned the security of mail-in ballots. In March, Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting mail-in voting nationwide. But a federal judge in Boston blocked the order on June 25.
What happens under Mississippi law?
Mississippi allows absentee ballots to be counted if they are mailed by Election Day and arrive within five business days afterward.
Voting by mail in the state is limited to certain categories of voters, including:
-People aged 65 or older.
-Voters with disabilities.
-Residents living away from home.
The law was passed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with bipartisan support in the Republican-controlled state legislature.
