This is somewhat old news, but was not previously reported. On March 14, 2024, the Fifth Circuit voted 10-5 not to rehear Republican National Committee v Wetzel, 24-60395. The original panel had voted that Mississippi was breaking federal law when it allowed mailed ballots to be counted even though they had not been received in the elections office by election day. The original panel said the 19th century federal law that tells the states they must hold congressional elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November means that all ballots must be received by election day.Here is the order denying rehearing. The Fifth Circuit decision is at odds with virtually every other lawsuit on this subject.

It is extremely likely that case will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On March 13, President Donald Trump had asked the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of lower court injunctions in birthright citizenship cases. On April 17, the U.S. Supreme Court said it won’t decide that until after it hears oral arguments on Thursday, May 15. All three pending cases will be combined for that hearing. They are Trump v Casa, 24A884; Trump v Washington, 24A885; and Trump v New Jersey, 24A886. The first case originated in Maryland. Each side will have one hour.

There are already over a dozen amicus curiae briefs in these cases, with more likely. They are on both sides.

The write-in vote totals for presidential candidates who were on the ballot in at least one state, but who weren’t on in Rhode Island, from the November 2024 election, are: Peter Sonski 138; Cornel West 98; Siva Ayyadurai 12; Joseph Kishore 2; Randall Terry 2; Vermin Supreme 2.

Generally the Rhode Island election authorities release such results on their own, but months after the election. In this instance the election officials still have not released them. They were obtained by a Freedom of Information request by Desmond Silveira.