06/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/29/2026 15:20
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 5-4 decision in Watson v. RNC. The case examined the question: "Whether the federal election-day statutes preempt a state law that allows ballots that are cast by federal election day to be received by election officials after that day." The Court ruled that: "The federal election-day statutes do not prevent Mississippi from counting absentee ballots postmarked by election day but received up to five days thereafter; nothing in the federal election-day statutes requires ballots to be received by election day."
Family Research Council (FRC) president Tony Perkins shared the following reaction:
"I respectfully disagree with the Supreme Court's decision to allow ballots to be counted after Election Day. While expanding access to voting is important, it cannot come at the expense of clarity, consistency, and public confidence in our elections.
"Election integrity depends on rules that are clear, enforceable, and uniform. When ballots can arrive and be counted days after Election Day, it creates unnecessary uncertainty about when an election is truly over. That uncertainty opens the door to disputes and erodes trust.
"We have seen real progress in strengthening election integrity in recent years, today's decision risks moving us in the wrong direction by weakening the clarity that voters--and the republic--depend on," Perkins concluded.
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