Judge rejects DOJ's push to force California to set aside ballots

A federal judge has dismissed a Trump administration request to force California to set aside mail ballots from roughly 20,000 voters it claims are not U.S. citizens. U.S. District Judge David Carter ruled that the government's attempt to coerce the state into violating long-standing constitutional principles giving states authority over election administration is unprecedented.

Carter stated that granting the administration's request would create chaos and potentially disenfranchise over 20,000 lawful voters. The judge also expressed concerns over the accuracy of the list of alleged noncitizens, warning that the methodology used to create it was vague and lacked credibility. He emphasized that individuals who have met California's voter registration requirements should not be deprived of their right to vote due to unfounded allegations.

Carter suggested pursuing indictments after the election for those who voted illegally instead of risking disenfranchising lawful voters. The Trump administration had sent letters to California officials claiming that roughly 20,000 suspected noncitizens were registered to vote and had received mail ballots. The administration sought an emergency order requiring California to separate ballots from these voters to verify their citizenship before counting them.

However, after receiving pushback from California officials and lawyers over the accuracy of the list and the government's demands, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal on Monday.