Daily Brew: November 24, 2025
Welcome to the Monday, Nov. 24, Brew.
By: Briana Ryan
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- U.S. Supreme Court case could affect absentee/mail-in ballot return deadlines
- Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are candidates in the runoff election for mayor of Miami, Florida, on Dec. 9
- On the Ballot dives into voter turnout trends on Nov. 4
U.S. Supreme Court case could affect absentee/mail-in ballot return deadlines
On Nov. 10, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Watson v. Republican National Committee, a case challenging the legality of a Mississippi law permitting absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they are received up to five business days after the election.
Mississippi is one of 15 states that allow absentee/mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within a set period of time after the election. The state passed a law allowing for a five-day grace period in 2020.
Twenty-nine states, including Mississippi, also allow at least some absentee/mail-in ballots from military or overseas voters to be counted if they arrive after Election Day.
The Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party, the Libertarian Party of Mississippi, George County Election Commissioner Matthew Lamb, and former Hinds County Republican Party Chair James Perry challenged the law in 2024.
Opponents argue that federal law establishes a uniform, national Election Day for congressional and presidential elections that would preempt Mississippi’s law.
In their original lawsuit, the plaintiffs said, “The result of Mississippi’s violation of federal law is that timely, valid ballots are diluted by untimely, invalid ballots, which violates the rights of candidates, campaigns, and voters under federal law.”
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi ruled in favor of the state in July 2024. Plaintiffs appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, where a three-judge panel in October 2024 ruled that federal law preempted Mississippi’s statute and sent the case back to the district court.
After the full Fifth Circuit declined to rehear the case, Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson (R) appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Backers of the law argue that the Fifth Circuit’s ruling ignores precedent and that an absentee/mail-in ballot need only be mailed before Election Day to be considered valid.
In a petition asking the Supreme Court to take the case, Mississippi Solicitor General Scott G. Stewart wrote: “The [Fifth Circuit] court struck down a state law regulating elections—a matter the Constitution allows States to address—based on stark errors of law. That decision will have sweeping ramifications. The rule the Fifth Circuit adopted would require scrapping election laws in most States.”
In March, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order instructing the Attorney General to take action to prevent states from counting ballots that arrive after Election Day. The order, which referenced the Fifth Circuit’s ruling, has since been challenged in court.
In 2025, Kansas, North Dakota, and Utah passed laws requiring absentee/mail-in ballots to be received by the close of polls on Election Day. North Dakota and Utah both have Republican trifectas in which Republicans control both legislative chambers and the governorship. Kansas is a divided government in which Republicans control both legislative chambers and a Democrat is governor.
Previously, Kansas required ballots to be received by the end of business on the third day following the election. Utah required ballots to be received by noon on the day of the canvass. North Dakota did not have a specific deadline in statute.
On Nov. 19, the Ohio House of Representatives voted 61-30 in favor of SB 293, which requires absentee ballots to be received by local boards of elections by the close of polls on Election Day. The Ohio Senate passed the bill 23-10, sending it to Gov. Mike DeWine (R). Ohio has a Republican trifecta. Currently, Ohio counts ballots if they arrive within four days after the election and were postmarked by Election Day.
The Columbus Dispatch’s Haley BeMiller reported that the U.S. Department of Justice wrote in a September letter to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) “that Ohio law runs afoul of federal policy. The letter urged state officials to change the absentee ballot deadline and 'avoid costly litigation in federal court.’"
As of Nov. 18, Watson v. Republican National Committee was one of 45 cases the court has agreed to hear during its October 2025 term. It is the fourth voting or elections-related case that the court has agreed to hear during the current term. The other cases are Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections, Louisiana v. Callais, and National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission.
Click here to read more about Watson v. Republican National Committee.
Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are running in the runoff election for mayor of Miami, Florida, on Dec. 9
Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are running in the nonpartisan runoff general election for mayor of Miami, Florida on Dec. 9. Incumbent Mayor Francis Suarez, a Republican, is term-limited.
Gonzalez and Higgins advanced to the runoff general election after neither received more than 50% of the vote in the Nov. 4 general election. In the general election, Higgins won 36% of the vote and Gonzales received 20% in a field of 13 candidates. Among the candidates running in the general election were former mayors Joe Carollo and Xavier Suarez, and former city commissioners Alex Díaz de la Portilla and Ken Russell. The editorial board of The Miami Herald wrote that Miami voters "rejected some of the city’s longtime political players in the race for mayor. [...] it’s clear voters want change."
While Miami municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, Gonzalez is a Republican and Higgins is a Democrat.
Gonzalez is a former city manager and a current investment councilmember for the Florida Department of Financial Services. His priorities include:
- Cutting property taxes
- Establishing a deregulation task force
- Increasing law enforcement presence
Higgins was a commissioner for District 5 on the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners. Her priorities include:
- Addressing affordable housing
- Improving the city's resilience to environmental disasters
- Investing in transit enhancements
President Donald Trump (R) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) endorsed Gonzalez, and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D) and Democratic Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava endorsed Higgins.
Politico’s Kimberly Leonard wrote that “Though the role of Miami mayor is technically nonpartisan, pressure is now on for Democrats to show they can still compete in Florida, a state that has become increasingly red since DeSantis was elected governor in 2018.”
Miami-Dade County GOP chair Kevin Cooper said the local party was focused on mobilizing voters. Specifically, he pointed to Gonzalez's endorsements and said, "I think you’re going to see people of statewide and even national importance getting out the vote for Emilio." The Democratic National Committee is using its national volunteer base to support Higgins with get-out-the-vote efforts, and Chair Ken Martin said, "Between now and Election Day, the DNC is all-in to elect Eileen Higgins."
In 2024, Donald Trump (R) became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Miami-Dade County in 36 years, though Kamala Harris (D) won the city of Miami 50% to 49%. A Democrat was last elected mayor of Miami in 1993.
On the same ballot as the general election, Miami voters approved a lifetime term limit of two terms for the mayor 79% to 21%.
Click here to read more about the runoff general election.
On the Ballot dives into voter turnout trends on Nov. 4
In this episode of On the Ballot, we’re examining what the Nov. 4 elections can tell us about voter turnout, shifts within key states, and how voters are engaging ahead of 2026.
First up, the Associated Press’ Maya Sweedler joins our host, Norm Leahy, to discuss notable patterns in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York City—including precinct-level movement, demographic trends, and how the Associated Press visualizes election results using population-focused mapping.
Then, Norm speaks with Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey about what her organization observed from millions of users during this cycle. She’ll detail increased interest in ballot information tools, usage patterns among younger voters, and broader factors that may explain why participation rose in several states.
To listen to this episode and more, click here. Also, don't forget to subscribe to On the Ballot on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. Plus, click here to check out our full coverage of the Nov. 4 election results.
