Alito: Election Day is a single day in late-ballot dispute
Justice Samuel Alito argued for a literal reading of 'day' during arguments over Mississippi’s law allowing postmarked ballots to count if received after Election Day, signaling skepticism toward late-ballot schemes. The Supreme Court’s conservative-leaning bloc appeared wary of broad late-ballot counting in Watson v. RNC, a decision that could affect about a dozen states that count postmarked ballots after Election Day; Roberts and Kagan urged caution about impacting early voting. A ruling expected by summer could shape rules for the 2026 midterms, while military/overseas ballots would likely be unaffected.
