Mississippi Absentee Ballot Lawsuit Dismissed
In a recent ruling, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee in an attempt to stop Mississippi from counting absentee ballots that were postmarked by Election Day but received within five days of Election Day. U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. issued the ruling, stating that Mississippi’s procedures for counting absentee ballots are in line with federal law and do not violate any election statutes.
Legal Battles Over Absentee Ballots
This dismissal is the second of its kind in recent weeks, following a similar lawsuit in Nevada. The Republican National Committee, along with the Mississippi Republican Party, filed the lawsuit against Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson and several election officials. The lawsuit alleged that Mississippi’s handling of absentee ballots extended the federal election improperly, resulting in the dilution of valid votes.
Mail-In Voting in Mississippi
Mississippi is one of several states that allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted, following guidelines set by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Despite previous claims by former President Trump regarding mail-in voting fraud, the practice has been widely accepted in various states, including swing states like Nevada and states with heavy reliance on mail voting, such as Colorado, Oregon, and Utah.
Overall, the dismissal of the lawsuit marks a victory for Mississippi’s absentee ballot counting procedures and reinforces the legality of postmarked ballots received within the specified timeframe.
