WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following are statements from Democracy Defenders Fund regarding today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Watson v. Republican National Committee. The organization submitted an amicus brief in the case on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens in January. The brief argues that the states, not the federal government, set election law, and that it would harm LULAC members, and voters across the country, if ballots were required to be received by Election Day.

Pooja Chaudhuri, deputy litigation director, DDF:

“The court rightly upheld the Constitution’s charge that states control the day-to-day of election administration. This means honoring our constitutional design in which states retain primary responsibility of running elections, which means setting deadlines with respect to mail-in ballots. Today’s decision preserves the status quo under our system by allowing states to continue administering mail ballot deadlines for ballots cast by Election Day, consistent with their own election codes and long‑standing practice. By rejecting the RNC’s theory, which is far beyond the mainstream, the Court has safeguarded the principle that every eligible voter’s timely ballot will count.”

Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), co-founder and executive chair of DDF:

“Today’s decision is a major victory for voters and a sharp rejection of the Republican National Committee’s effort to throw out ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within the period allowed by state law. Across the country, millions of Americans rely on mail-in voting, and many states have long allowed election officials to count ballots that voters submitted on time. By refusing to let the RNC override those state election rules through litigation, the Court protected voters who did what their states told them to do.

“No voter should lose their voice because a national party wants to change the rules after ballots have already been cast. This ruling respects state authority over election administration and prevents needless confusion for voters and election officials. At a time when the Roberts Court has too often made it harder for Americans to exercise their rights, today’s decision is an important and welcome exception.”

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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.