Supreme Court Preserves Washington’s 20-Day Mail Ballot Window in 5-4 Ruling
Updated
Updated · KIRO Seattle · Jun 30
Supreme Court Preserves Washington’s 20-Day Mail Ballot Window in 5-4 Ruling
3 articles · Updated · KIRO Seattle · Jun 30
Summary
Washington voters can still have mail ballots counted up to 20 days after Election Day if they are postmarked on time, after the Supreme Court upheld Mississippi’s rule in a 5-4 decision.
King County Elections Director Julie Wise said the ruling should protect thousands of ballots in this year’s midterms and future elections, calling it a relief for both election officials and voters.
Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh said Republicans were disappointed and still question mail-ballot security, while Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the state found only five fraud cases out of 90 million votes cast over 10 years.
USPS changes and a pending ruling are still pushing Washington election officials to urge voters to return ballots early or use state drop boxes despite the court victory.
How will the USPS's new postmark policy affect ballots, even with the Supreme Court's grace period ruling?
Beyond postmarks, what technologies could improve the security and tracking of mail-in ballots for future elections?
What new challenges do states face with the proposed federal rule requiring them to share voter lists with the USPS?
Supreme Court’s 5-4 Ruling Backs Mississippi Law Allowing Ballots Received After Election Day
Overview
On June 29, 2026, the Supreme Court upheld Mississippi’s law allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within five days, a rule created by the state’s Republican-led legislature during the pandemic. The Republican National Committee challenged this law, arguing that federal law requires ballots to be received by Election Day. Their concerns included the risk that late-arriving ballots could shift election outcomes and undermine trust in results. Despite a previous ruling against the grace period, the Supreme Court’s decision supports states’ flexibility in handling mail-in ballots, aiming to balance voter access with election integrity.