Delayed Ballots Still Count: The Chamberlain Network Applauds the Supreme Court's Decision Protecting Mail Ballot Grace Periods in Watson v. RNC

Atlanta, GA — The Chamberlain Network today welcomed the Supreme Court's decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee, upholding a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received within five days after Election Day.

Today's ruling is a win for every service member stationed overseas who mailed their ballot on time and trusted that it would count. It is a win for military families, for rural voters, for seniors, for people with disabilities, and for every eligible American who participates in our elections by mail under rules set by their state.

In January, The Chamberlain Network joined with veteran and other organizations in filing an amicus brief in this case. We argued then what the Court affirmed today: grace periods are not loopholes. They are a recognition that serving your country and casting your ballot are not mutually exclusive — and that international mail is not a reason to lose your vote. Military and overseas voters see their ballots rejected for lateness at more than eight times the rate of domestic absentee voters. Nearly half of all rejected UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) ballots are rejected for arriving late. Grace periods exist precisely because the mail can be slow, unpredictable, and outside the control of the voter.

"The military has voted by mail since the Civil War. It has never been partisan — it has been practical," said Chris Purdy, CEO and Founder, The Chamberlain Network. "Today's decision keeps faith with that tradition. It affirms that the government has both the authority and the obligation to ensure that a ballot cast in good faith is counted — and that is the democracy we served to defend."

This ruling does not end the work. Fourteen states and Washington, D.C. now have legal clarity for their grace period laws. Sixteen additional states have grace periods specifically for military and overseas voters. Protecting those laws — and ensuring election officials have the resources and time to implement them before November — remains urgent.

Every eligible voter should be able to cast a ballot, every lawful vote should be counted, and election outcomes should reflect the will of the voters. That is what today's ruling protects.

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The Chamberlain Network mobilizes and empowers veterans to work within their communities to uphold free and fair elections and cultivate a respectful civic society that supports healthy democratic institutions. Through leadership training, issue education, and support for locally driven initiatives, the organization equips veterans to take meaningful action that rebuilds trust in our democracy.https://www.chamberlainnetwork.us/