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AIPC.

Hey folks, Joyce here. Here's a recording of my latest cafe note, will my vote still count? As always,

please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters atcafe.com.

Dear listener, on September 24, 2024, a panel of Fifth Circuit judges heard oral argument in RNC v. Wenssel,

a Mississippi case about counting mail-in, absentee, ballots. Mississippi counts ballots that

are received up to five business days after an election, so long as they are postmarked

honor before election day. The Republican National Committee challenged the

rule, arguing that extending the count effectively extends Mississippi's federal election past the

election day established by Congress and results in valid ballots being diluted by untimely

invalid ballots. A federal district judge ruled against the RNC in July, and the

appeal was promptly teed up to get the case to oral argument just two months later. That was one

day after mail-in absentee ballots became available. If the RNC wins, a slew of Mississippi

voters' votes might not count. Mail-in ballots for military members

and their family members, along with other Americans abroad, have to be sent out 45 days before

the election. Mississippi sends other mail-in ballots 30 to 45 days ahead of Election Day.

When those ballots went out, voters were informed that their ballots would be

counted so long as they were postmarked by Election Day and received within five business days

...