Overview

• The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Mississippi's law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted if received up to five days after Election Day conflicts with federal law.
• The decision does not immediately impact the upcoming November 5 election, as the ruling is not returned to the lower court until after the election date.
• The court's ruling could set a precedent affecting similar laws in other states, including swing states like Nevada, which have similar mail-in ballot provisions.
• The Republican National Committee, which challenged the Mississippi law, hailed the decision as a victory for election integrity, emphasizing the need for ballots to be received by Election Day.
• Legal experts, including UCLA law professor Richard Hasen, criticized the ruling, noting that other courts have previously rejected similar arguments.