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-Editorial
The League of Women Voters of California (LWVC), represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and its regional affiliates, filed a motion on Friday to intervene in a federal lawsuit that could affect the counting of vote-by-mail ballots in California elections.
The lawsuit, filed last month by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), challenges California’s current policy of counting mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days afterward. Issa argues the practice violates federal election law and seeks to prohibit the counting of any ballots received after Election Day, regardless of the postmark date.
In their motion to intervene, the LWVC and ACLU contend that the lawsuit, if successful, could result in the disqualification of ballots from voters who comply with state deadlines but whose ballots are delayed in the mail.
California first implemented a three-day post-Election Day grace period for ballot delivery in 2014. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the window was temporarily extended to 17 days. In 2021, the state legislature established a permanent seven-day window for ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted.
The League of Women Voters and ACLU say this timeline aligns with practices in other states and is necessary to ensure that votes cast in accordance with state law are not discarded due to postal delays. The motion includes statements from LWVC and ACLU representatives expressing concern about the potential impact on voter participation.
The case remains pending, and no ruling has been made on the motion to intervene.
The League of Women Voters of California is a nonpartisan grassroots organization with more than 7,000 members statewide. The organization promotes voter education and participation, including support for mail-in voting.