Supreme Court Examines Legal Boundaries of Post-Election Day Mail-In Ballots The U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating over a pivotal case that questions whether states can legally count mail-in ballots submitted after Election Day. The dispute centers on Mississippi’s law, enacted during the pandemic, which permits ballots to be received up to five days after the election as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The case has drawn sharp scrutiny from conservative justices, who argue the law could undermine election integrity by creating ambiguity about when votes are finalized. Justice Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh raised concerns that the state’s approach might facilitate fraudulent voting or lead voters to suspect fraud if late ballots alter the outcome of a close race. They questioned whether allowing post-Election Day ballots could erode public trust in the electoral process, particularly if the final results shift after the initial count. The justices also highlighted the potential for confusion if voters attempt to recall ballots already in the mail, a scenario Justice Gorsuch illustrated with a hypothetical involving a candidate’s sudden scandal. The case has broader implications for election procedures, as 14 states and Washington, D.C., already accept mail ballots after Election Day, including key battleground states like Nevada. However, other states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin require ballots to be received by the deadline. Mississippi and the Republican National Committee (RNC) are relying on a 1997 Supreme Court ruling, Foster v. Love, which invalidated Louisiana’s system of electing congressional candidates in October, effectively holding a general election in November.#supreme_court #brett_kavanaugh #mississippi #samuel_alito #rnc
Sprawling Storm Sparks Severe Weather, Tornado Warnings, and Historic Snowfall in Midwest and Northeast A massive storm system sweeping across the eastern United States is unleashing a wide-ranging severe weather threat, from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. The storm’s northern edge is bringing blizzard conditions to parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes, while its southern side is generating damaging winds, tornadoes, and heavy rainfall. The National Weather Service has issued multiple warnings, with the most severe risks concentrated in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The storm system intensified on Sunday, producing a powerful line of thunderstorms stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. Winds reached up to 80 mph in some areas, triggering numerous severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings as the system moved eastward overnight. By Monday morning, the storm had reached the Appalachians, with reports of damaging winds, tennis ball-sized hail, and at least one confirmed tornado near Humphrey, Arkansas. Severe weather threats are particularly high in the Southeast, where a Level 4 out of 5 severe risk zone covers parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. This means tornadoes and damaging winds are possible, with some storms potentially reaching EF-2 strength or higher. A Level 3 risk extends from Georgia to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while nearly 13 million people in the Mid-Atlantic are under the highest threat level. Additional warnings are expected as the storm spreads into the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic later in the day. Snowfall is also a major concern, with blizzard conditions developing in the Northern Plains and Great Lakes. Parts of southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin received 1 to 2 feet of snow by Sunday, and more is expected.#national_weather_service #michigan #texas #ohio #mississippi
