US Supreme Court Allows States to Count Late Mail-In Ballots

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, rejecting a challenge from the Republican National Committee.

This decision preserves the legality of grace-period laws in numerous jurisdictions, ensuring that ballots delayed by postal services are not automatically discarded. The ruling prevents a nationwide shift toward stricter deadlines that could disenfranchise voters in states with flexible arrival windows.

The court issued the ruling on June 24, 2024 ^[2]. The decision was split five-four ^[1], reflecting a narrow divide among the justices regarding the authority of states to manage their own election timelines.

The legal challenge sought to strike down state rules that allow a window of time after the polls close for mailed ballots to be received and counted. By rejecting the RNC's argument, the court upheld the right of individual states to establish these grace periods to accommodate mailing delays.

This ruling affects a significant portion of the country, impacting more than half of the states, and the District of Columbia ^[3]. These jurisdictions now maintain their existing protocols for processing late-arriving mail, a practice that has become more common as mail-in voting increases across the U.S.

The court's decision ensures that the current rules remain in place for the affected regions. Because the ruling was based on the preservation of state-level election laws, it limits the ability of national party organizations to impose a uniform federal deadline on the receipt of mailed ballots.