The Supreme Court will decide whether states may count mail ballots arriving after Election Day, taking up a Republican-led challenge to a Mississippi law that accepts ballots up to five days late if postmarked by Election Day. Fifteen states allow some late-arriving ballots, while many battlegrounds require receipt by Election Day; some accept military ballots later. The 5th Circuit said Mississippi violates federal law but left the policy in place for 2024. The case joins other election disputes already before the justices, including redistricting and mail ballot receipt rules.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.