Justice Department drops bid to force California to set aside disputed ballots

The U.S. Department of Justice has withdrawn its attempt to compel California to exclude ballots it claims originated from noncitizens, pending verification of their immigration status. This decision came after the Republicans suffered significant losses in the recent midterm elections and a week before a hearing when a special master was scheduled to assess the accuracy of the purported noncitizen list.

California officials have contended that the list is outdated and includes valid voters, a point the federal judge overseeing the case echoed in his scathing ruling that denied the government's request. The case was a central element of the Trump administration's strategy to control state-run elections nationwide, which they alleged were plagued by noncitizen voting, despite lacking evidence.

Research suggests such incidents are exceedingly uncommon. The Justice Department remains embroiled in litigation with immigrant and voting rights groups attempting to curb its use of the list of suspected noncitizens. In a statement, the DOJ pledged to pursue violations of election laws through alternative legal proceedings.