McClellan Statement on Supreme Court Watson v. Republican National Committee Decision Affirming Legitimacy of Mail-In Voting

Washington, D.C. -Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision ruling that federal election-day statutes do not preempt a Mississippi law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by, and received within, five days of election day:

"The 5-4 ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee represents a victory in the generational fight to expand access to voting. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the revolutionary idea that the power of government derives from the people, we must recognize that a government by, of and for the people reflects the perspective - and therefore meets the needs - of the people who participate. Today, the Supreme Court sided with the American people and preserved easier access to the ballot box, especially for our servicemembers and military families who must cast their vote while serving abroad.

"Our nation has struggled to ensure that all of its citizens can exercise the fundamental and sacred right to vote. Yet, for too long, obstacles have prevented many from exercising that right once they obtain it, turning the vote into more of a privilege for those fortunate enough to be able to participate. Too many voters do not have the ability to wait in line, sometimes for several hours, before the polls close due to work, health conditions, distance or lack of transportation to their assigned polling location.

"For over 80 years, Congress and the states have allowed some form of mail-in voting to enable citizens to overcome these barriers to voting. The case before the Supreme Court challenged that ability to cast a mail-in ballot by putting strict constraints on the date by which that ballot must be received by a respective voting center - a factor beyond a voter's control and in the hands of the federal government and U.S. Postal Service.

"Today, we celebrate access to mail-in voting and the Court's decision to affirm that every ballot cast on time deserves to be counted. But the fight remains far from over, as the U.S. Postal Service threatens to withhold ballots to be mailed to states that do not bow to the Trump Administration's bidding. As someone whose family had to fight for their right to vote, I will continue to fight such voter suppression tactics at the state and federal level."