Judge Dismisses Republican Lawsuit Over Absentee Ballot Deadlines in Mississippi

Mississippi Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Blocking Absentee Ballot Counting

In a recent ruling, U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee that aimed to prevent Mississippi from counting absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days afterward.

The judge’s ruling, which was handed down on Sunday, affirmed that Mississippi’s procedure for counting lawfully cast absentee ballots is consistent with federal law and does not violate any constitutional clauses. This decision marks the second time in recent weeks that a federal judge has dismissed such a lawsuit, with a similar case in Nevada also being rejected.

The lawsuit, filed against Republican Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson and six local election officials, argued that extending the deadline for accepting absentee ballots goes against federal election laws and dilutes the value of timely, valid ballots. However, Judge Guirola explained that Mississippi’s law does not extend the election beyond the designated date set by Congress, but simply allows for the counting of ballots received after Election Day as long as they were postmarked on or before the election.

Mississippi is among several states that permit the counting of mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day, including swing states like Nevada and states such as Colorado, Oregon, and Utah that heavily rely on mail-in voting.

This ruling serves as a significant decision in the ongoing debate surrounding absentee ballot counting procedures and sets a precedent for how states handle ballots received after Election Day.