Court says Mississippi can’t count late ballots but the ruling doesn’t affect Nov. 5 vote

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A conservative federal court says Mississippi cannot count mail-in ballots that arrive shortly after Election Day. But, Friday’s decision was not expected to affect the upcoming Nov. 5 election. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to a district judge. The panel stopped short of an order immediately blocking Mississippi from counting late-arriving ballots. The ruling noted federal court precedents have discouraged court actions that change established procedures shortly before an election. The ultimate outcome may be negligible in most of the elections in heavily Republican Mississippi. However, the case could affect voting in swing states.