Restoration News reports on Watson v. RNC, an important case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court that could determine whether ballots received after Election Day are counted.

The article discusses Center for Election Confidence’s (CEC) recent amicus brief in the case and includes extensive quotes from Lisa Dixon, CEC’s Executive Director. CEC was pleased to file this brief in conjunction with partners Honest Elections Project and Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE).

The brief notes that the Supreme Court has already held that by the end of the “day for the election,” the completion of the “combined actions of voters and officials meant to make a final selection of an officeholder” must occur. The filing adds that Congress even considered an amendment to the one-day election law that would have allowed states to count ballots after Election Day. Congress ultimately rejected it.

The problem is exacerbated unnecessarily, as Dixon notes, due to the decline of the national Postal Service system. “With the Postal Service reducing the number of mail pieces that receive postmarks, it is becoming increasingly difficult for states to confirm that ballots received after Election Day were actually cast on or before Election Day.”

As Dixon explains, “The longer it takes after election night for results to be reported, the less confidence American citizens have that the results accurately reflect the votes cast.”