Supreme Court rules mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted

[postman]

This is basic contract law – a postmark is proof of compliance with the law, regardless when the document is receives.

Like a tax return filed with the IRS?

Requirement is that it be POSTMARKED by April 15th.
The post office often has a designated office that says open until MIDNIGHT, in order to receive all the timely tax returns.

 

[hadit]

This is basic contract law – a postmark is proof of compliance with the law, regardless when the document is receives.

You still have to have a cutoff, or we could be faced with the prospect of enough ballots arriving after an inauguration to tip the election to another candidate. At some point, we have to draw a line in the sand and say we simply will not count any ballot received after this date, no matter what. If the postal service screwed something up, it's on them, but we don't count the ballots.

 

[martybegan]

There is a difference between the majority wanting to take rights away, and the majority wanting to make voting more condusive.

Making voting more open to fraud takes away the votes of legal voters.

 

[postman]

You still have to have a cutoff, or we could be faced with the prospect of enough ballots arriving after an inauguration to tip the election to another candidate. At some point, we have to draw a line in the sand and say we simply will not count any ballot received after this date, no matter what. If the postal service screwed something up, it's on them, but we don't count the ballots.

That shows you know NOTHING about election law.
Until recently absentee ballots that came in after election day weren't counted at all, unless there was an election contest or protest.

If the election was close, or one of the candidates filed a protest, only then would they start processing the absentee ballots that came in after election day.

Any absentee ballots that show up AFTER that recount, would NEVER BE COUNTED. As once the election is certified, ballots received after that are not reviewed, unless the election is decertified, and another recount judicially ordered.

 

[postman]

Making voting more open to fraud takes away the votes of legal voters.

I thought we were a democratic republic.

That the more eligible people that vote, the closer the election results are to the will of the people.

That was one of the purposes of the 14th amendment

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

No early voting. 24 hours.

Early voting, voting by mail, multiple voting venues contribute to a strong and healthy democracy.

 

[Dante]

This is basic contract law – a postmark is proof of compliance with the law, regardless when the document is receives.

Like a tax return filed with the IRS?

Requirement is that it be POSTMARKED by April 15th.
The post office often has a designated office that says open until MIDNIGHT, in order to receive all the timely tax returns.

Trump is very afraid. We need to be watchful of every breath he takes. He sees accountability coming down the road. Something he has fought against his whole life.

 

[postman]

Early voting, voting by mail, multiple voting venues contribute to a strong and healthy democracy.

Plus they would allow the military to vote early.
Donald Trump votes early.

 

[martybegan]

I thought we were a democratic republic.

That the more eligible people that vote, the closer the election results are to the will of the people.

That was one of the purposes of the 14th amendment

The people you guys want to vote aren't eligible.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

SCOTUS has ruled that Mississippi’s state law permitting counting mail in ballots arriving after election day controls the election process there. SCOTUS found the state law is not pre-empted by current Federal laws.



Supreme Court rules mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted



A decision against such ballots could have upended election procedures in states across the country ahead of the midterm elections.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/06/29/supreme-court-rules-mail-in-ballots-arriving-after-election-day-can-be-counted/

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Mississippi law that allows officials to tally mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day that arrive later, a decision that keeps voting procedures in place in several states as the midterm elections loom. In an 5-4 ruling, the justices turned aside a challenge by Republicans and Libertarians, who argued federal law preempts a Mississippi statute that allows the counting of such ballots that arrive up to five days after polls close.



The decision could make less likely similar legal challenges in 14 states that allow the counting of ballots that arrive days or weeks after polls close. Most states require mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day.



President Donald Trump and some Republican allies have falsely argued that voter fraud is rampant in mail-in balloting. Trump partly blamed his loss in the 2020 presidential election on mail-in votes and unsuccessfully called on states to stop tallying them during the contest.



Republicans in a number of states have launched legal challenges to mail-in voting, which has grown in popularity since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. One study found about 1 in 3 voters voted by mail in 2024, but the practice is more widespread in Democratic-leaning states.

Republican cheaters' attempt to reduce turnout: denied

 

[martybegan]

Early voting, voting by mail, multiple voting venues contribute to a strong and healthy democracy.

Nope, it leads to holes filled in by fraud.

 

[Dante]

Making voting more open to fraud takes away the votes of legal voters.

Nobody wants to make voting open to fraud because of one simple fact - voters are unpredictable. The law of unintended consequences, rules.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

You still have to have a cutoff

The postmark on or before election day.

 

[citygator]

I'm okay with it, but I'd prefer ballots arrive by Election Day. It causes too many problems when states allow them to trickle in for days after (California is the worst) and helps churn up all of these ridiculous conspiracies about ballots being manufactured to orchestrate a win in the days following. It's not hard to mail in your ballot a week early to ensure it gets there. I mailed my primary ballot in two weeks early.

Exactly what problems does it cause?

 

[martybegan]

Nobody wants to make voting open to fraud because of one simple fact - voters are unpredictable. The law of unintended consequences, rules.

Not unpredictable when one side has the machine and the lack of morals to execute the fraud.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Like a tax return filed with the IRS?

Requirement is that it be POSTMARKED by April 15th.
The post office often has a designated office that says open until MIDNIGHT, in order to receive all the timely tax returns.

The courts have long held that the Post Office and postmarks are lawful verification that the government has communicated with a citizen and that a citizen has responded to government in a timely manner.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Exactly what problems does it cause?

It allows delusional, gullible people to be fooled by people lying about fraud.

As if that's a good reason to throw out legal ballots.....

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Republican cheaters' attempt to reduce turnout: denied

Republicans’ attempt to reduce the turnout of perceived Democratic voters.

 

[citygator]

Except it doesn't. Those serving in the military are a special circumstance and common sense exceptions can apply in that instance.

Military service gives you zero extra rights. Nothing less American than that statement.

 

[postman]

The people you guys want to vote aren't eligible.

Nobody advocates the non-eligible be allowed to vote.
But they want as many eligible voters to get to vote.
And finding ways of making it more convenient for more people to legally vote.