Supreme Court Upholds States’ Ability to Count Mail Ballots Arriving After Election Day

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld state laws allowing election officials to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day, provided they were postmarked by Election Day, rejecting a Republican-backed challenge to the practice.

The ruling preserves laws used by more than a dozen states that give election officials a post-Election Day window to receive and count timely mailed ballots.

🚨 BREAKING: The US Supreme Court ruled states CAN accept mail-in ballots AFTER Election Day, 5-4

Breaking Alerts

Don’t miss the stories that matter.

Get Sean’s breaking news alerts — free, direct to your inbox.

Yet ANOTHER reason the SAVE America Act must be passed NOW!

This means states like California can CONTINUE taking WEEKS to count ballots after Election Day

BEYOND insane.

Barrett… pic.twitter.com/S0Fc4bALva

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 29, 2026

The Court rejected arguments from Republican challengers that the practice violates federal laws establishing a uniform Election Day in November.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the Court’s three liberal justices to form the majority.

🚨 BREAKING: Justice Barrett and Justice Roberts sided with the liberal justices and ruled in Watson v. RNC that states can collect absentee ballots postmarked by election day but received up to 5 days after.

5-4 ruling. pic.twitter.com/0zf7gJTVPs

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 29, 2026

The decision applies specifically to states that require late-arriving mail ballots to be postmarked on or before Election Day, which is the rule followed by the vast majority of states that provide a grace period for mailed ballots

This story is developing…

Supreme Court rules ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted in win for Dems https://t.co/SFpINberPM pic.twitter.com/IwAe4SxJnt

— New York Post (@nypost) June 29, 2026