Washington voters will see no change to the state’s long-standing vote-by-mail rules after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that states may continue counting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day, provided they were postmarked on time.
In a 5-4 decision, the court rejected arguments from the Republican National Committee and the Trump administration that federal law requires all ballots to be received by the close of polls on Election Day. The ruling preserves laws in Washington and 12 other states that allow a grace period for timely mailed ballots to arrive.
The Washington State Standard reports:
Under Washington state law, county elections offices can accept ballots received after Election Day if the ballot was postmarked on or before Election Day. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued a statement on Monday emphasizing that the Supreme Court ruling upholds this practice and means there will be no change to the state’s ballot act on voters, Hobbs said. “The ruling upholds our long-standing ballot return rules, which support accessible and fair elections. Washington’s ballot return deadline means that the thousands of voters whose ballots are postmarked on time but received after Election Day still have their voices heard. We will continue our record of safe and secure elections in the upcoming midterm.”
Hobbs’ office added that using a ballot drop box before 8 p.m. on Election Day guarantees ballots are received on time and said if voters return their ballot by mail, they should do so more than a week before Election Day.ceptance deadline.
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Watson v. RNC is a victory for all Washington voters,” Hobbs said. “The ruling upholds our long-standing ballot return rules, which support accessible and fair elections. Washington’s ballot return deadline means that the thousands of voters whose ballots are postmarked on time but received after Election Day still have their voices heard. We will continue our record of safe and secure elections in the upcoming midterm.”
