WASHINGTON, D.C. — The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has submitted an amicus brief in Watson v. Republican National Committee before the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the states, not the federal government, set election law, and that it would be incredibly harmful to LULAC members, and voters across the country, if ballots are required to be received by Election Day.

"The right to vote is the foundation of our republic and must be protected against any attempt to undermine it,” said LULAC National President and Chairman Roman Palomares. “Millions of Americans rely on commonsense rules that allow mail ballots cast on time to be counted if they arrive shortly after Election Day. Many states have long provided these short and practical receipt windows, because they reflect the realities of how mail actually works. The court should not upend these longstanding practices, which will silence lawful votes.”

The brief argues that mandating a nationwide Election Day ballot receipt deadline for mail-in ballots would directly harm voters across the country who rely on the current post-election receipt windows. Many voters, including LULAC members, rely on these windows as a result of residing in rural communities with poor mail service, being elderly or disabled, or because they wish to avoid in-person intimidation at the polling place. Members of the United States military stationed abroad or dealing with deployments would also be impacted.

“Every eligible citizen has the fundamental right to participate in our elections, regardless of where they live or what challenges they may face,” said Tianna Mays, legal director for the Democracy Defenders Fund. “A democracy only works when every lawful vote can be cast and counted. We are proud to represent LULAC in this fight to protect this essential American right.”

The brief was submitted by Norm Eisen, Tianna Mays, and Sofia Fernandez Gold of Democracy Defenders Fund, Mimi Marziani, Beth Stevens, Joaquin Gonzalez and Andrew Silberstein of Marziani, Stevens & Gonzalez, and Jon Greenbaum of Justice Legal Strategies.

Read the brief HERE.

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LULAC is the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, the organization is committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latino Americans through advocacy, community building, and education. With a growing network of councils nationwide, LULAC remains steadfast in its mission to protect and empower millions of Latinos, contributing daily to America's prosperity. For more information about LULAC and its initiatives, please visit https://lulac.org/.

Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.