Key Facts

• The case involved a 2020 Mississippi law permitting mail-in ballots to be counted if they arrive within five days after Election Day.
• The Supreme Court majority, including Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts, said federal law does not require ballots to be received by Election Day.
• The court said it is up to Congress, not the courts, to set national rules on ballot deadlines.
• Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented, joined in part by Kavanaugh, arguing the ruling changes federal law and could harm trust in elections.
• The Republican National Committee filed the lawsuit, saying a federal statute from 1845 requires all ballots to be received by Election Day.
• The Fifth Circuit Court initially ruled that ballots must be received on Election Day, but the Supreme Court overturned this.
• The ruling protects voting systems used in many states, especially those adopted after the pandemic to accommodate mail-in voting.