Supreme Court revives GOP congressman's challenge to late-arriving mail ballot law
Source: AP
Updated 10:53 AM EST, January 14, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Wednesday revived a Republican challenge to a law that allows the counting of late-arriving mail ballots, a target of President Donald Trump.
The high court ruled 7-2 that Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill. has the legal right to challenge the law, even though the ballots likely had little effect on a race he won handily.
The state had argued that allowing the lawsuit would open the floodgates for more election litigation and cause chaos for election officials. Bost said vote-total considerations shouldnt affect his ability to come to court.
The Illinois law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received up to two weeks later. More than a dozen states, as well as the District of Columbia, accept mailed ballots received after Election Day as long they are postmarked on or before that date, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Supreme Court will also consider the broader issue of whether states can continue to count late-arriving mail ballots in the spring.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-voting-mailin-ballots-republican-e779fbbdc3fb61953ee9a1c30e34dee4
Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-568_gfbh.pdf
(as a sidenote, people are waiting for the tariffs decision and I expect if they do release it this week, it will probably be Friday or even Saturday, to bury it on what will be a "long holiday weekend" (MLK Day is 1/19/26))
popsdenver
(1,618 posts)Anyone recall DeJoy having all the USPS mail sorting machines destroyed, a month before the 2016? election to try and slow down all the "mail in ballots" postmarking that were machine sorted????????
Sometimes, it amazes me, at how many people have such short memories and the Republicans utilize it to their advantage.
The "three day" news cycle, releasing major crap on a Friday, etc etc etc As well as people's short memories........
All of it controlled by our "Main Steam Media" that is 95+% controlled and owned/operated by Uber Rich Republican Oligarchs and Republican Corporations.......
moose65
(3,441 posts)Aren't some of those ballots Republican votes? Why would someone who won their election file a lawsuit like this? It makes no sense whatsoever.
BumRushDaShow
(166,074 posts)where states have provisions to make accommodations for those to arrive late.
Grins
(9,264 posts)My guess its part of the Republican plan to have all - or only - votes cast on Election Day and in polling stations to be counted.
Because they think that gives them an advantage, as they know when more people vote, the more Republicans LOSE!