Overview
- The Supreme Court handed down a 5-4 decision on Monday, June 29, 2026, in Watson v. RNC that upholds Mississippi’s rule allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within five days.
- Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, which Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s three liberal justices joined, while Justice Samuel Alito authored a dissent joined by Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh.
- The Court held that federal election-day statutes set when votes must be cast but do not require ballots to be received by Election Day, leaving states free to set receipt and counting deadlines under their own laws.
- President Trump and Republican leaders condemned the ruling and urged Congress to act, while voting-rights groups hailed the decision for protecting voters who rely on the postal service; both parties are now expected to press legislatures and Congress for changes.
- The ruling preserves long-standing and pandemic-era grace periods used in about 14 states and special rules for overseas and military ballots in roughly 30 states, reducing near-term disruption for election officials and keeping potential legal and political fights focused on legislators and upcoming rule changes.