Tennessee – Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty criticized the Supreme Court’s decision allowing certain mail-in ballots received after Election Day to continue being counted under state laws, saying the ruling could further reduce public confidence in the election process.
“Disappointing ruling this morning. Allowing California to continue taking weeks to count mail-in ballots only deepens the American people’s loss of confidence in the election process. The Save America Act is more critical than ever,” Hagerty said.
The comments came after the Supreme Court rejected a Republican-led challenge involving the counting of some mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The 5-4 decision allowed states to continue counting ballots received after Election Day if state law permits it and the ballots meet certain requirements, including being postmarked on time.
The case centered on whether states have the authority to count ballots that arrive after Election Day, with California being one of the states that allows certain late-arriving mail ballots to be accepted if they were mailed on time.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote the majority opinion, which was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and the court’s three liberal justices. The ruling maintained that states can establish their own rules for receiving and counting ballots within the limits of federal law.
Justice Samuel Alito dissented from the decision, arguing that the ruling conflicted with federal election law and what he described as historical election practices. He was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch in the dissent.
The decision has renewed debate over election administration, ballot deadlines, and the role of states in determining voting procedures. Supporters of allowing late-arriving ballots argue that voters should not lose their ability to have their ballots counted because of mail delays when they followed state requirements. Opponents argue that allowing ballots to arrive after Election Day creates uncertainty and could weaken public trust in election results.
Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee, pointed to the Save America Act as a measure he believes is needed to address concerns about election integrity. The legislation has been supported by Republicans who argue that stronger verification requirements are needed for federal elections.
The ruling comes as election procedures continue to be a major political issue nationwide, with lawmakers divided over how states should handle mail voting, voter verification, and election timelines.
Election officials have maintained that ballot-counting rules are designed to balance accuracy, accessibility, and security, while critics continue to push for stricter deadlines and uniform standards across states.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not require states to accept late-arriving ballots but allows states that already have laws permitting them to continue doing so. The ruling leaves differences in election procedures among states in place as the debate over voting rules continues.