A federal appeals court ruled that Mississippi’s law allowing mail ballots to be received after Election Day is illegal, a decision that escalates a consequential legal battle even as it may not affect the upcoming election.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' opinion sends the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) challenge back to a lower court to determine whether the Mississippi statute should be immediately blocked or whether it’s too close to the election to do so.

Even though the decision does not order any immediate changes to any state’s ballot deadline, it increases the possibility of the issue landing at the Supreme Court. Eighteen states accept mail ballots following Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“Federal law requires voters to take........

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