Judge’s ruling means mail-in ballots will be accepted after Election Day

(AP) –

A federal judge in North Dakota has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop acceptance of mail-in ballots after election day.

The lawsuit was brought by a county election official and backed by a legal group aligned with former President Donald Trump.

In his Friday ruling, U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor said the Burleigh County Auditor lacked standing… did not allege a specific constitutional violation… is not conflicted by his oath of office… and that the state election director named in the lawsuit “is not a potential cause for the auditor’s alleged injuries because she has no enforcement authority.”

North Dakota Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe welcomed the ruling as “a win for the rule of law in North Dakota and a win for our military and overseas voters.”