Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Block 20,000 California Mail-In Ballots

• A federal appeals court rejects another request from the Trump administration to block California mail-in ballots.
• More than 20,000 California voters are at the center of the dispute.
• California officials challenge the reliability of the federal government’s evidence.

A federal appeals court has once again rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to set aside more than 20,000 California mail-in ballots over allegations that some of the voters may not be US citizens.

According to a report by the EFE news agency on Friday, October 30, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied an emergency request from the Department of Justice to suspend a lower court ruling in California’s favor.

The 2-1 decision marks the administration’s second setback in a week in the election dispute, as early voting is already underway ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

The administration sought to require election officials to separate ballots associated with the identified voters and verify their US citizenship before counting their votes.

Federal Appeals Court Upholds California’s Authority Over Elections

The appeals court panel reaffirmed the constitutional framework that gives states authority over the administration of elections, subject to federal law.

In their ruling, the judges stated that if the federal government believes different procedures are needed for mail-in voting, it should seek changes through Congress rather than the courts.

«If the United States believes different procedures are necessary for mail-in ballots, we think it should take that suggestion to Congress, not the courts,» the judges wrote, according to EFE.

The decision leaves in place Wednesday’s ruling by US District Judge David O. Carter of the Central District of California, who rejected the Justice Department’s request.

Carter concluded that the proposed measure would interfere with the state’s authority to administer elections and could jeopardize the voting rights of eligible US citizens.

He also warned that thousands of voters could be deprived of a fundamental right based on unverified allegations and potentially inaccurate information.

Why Is the Trump Administration Challenging 20,000 California Votes?

The dispute began with a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice on October 15, after federal immigration and homeland security officials identified more than 20,000 registered voters whom they suspected of being noncitizens.

Using that list, the Trump administration asked California election officials to set aside any corresponding mail-in ballots until the voters’ citizenship could be verified.

California officials disputed the reliability of the federal list and opposed the request. The government’s suspicions do not establish that the individuals are noncitizens or that any ballots were cast illegally.

Why Separating California Mail-In Ballots Could Disrupt the Election

The legal dispute comes as Californians are already casting their ballots, creating practical challenges for the administration’s proposed measure.

State election officials explained that mail-in ballots are separated from the envelopes containing voters’ identifying information during processing.

As a result, identifying and isolating ballots associated with the federal list could be difficult, potentially causing delays and uncertainty in the vote count.

Gavin Newsom Announces Measures to Protect California Voters

The dispute between California and the Trump administration has also extended to security and oversight at polling places as Election Day approaches.

According to EFE, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to deploy election law attorneys and observers across the state.

Newsom said the goal was to «protect every vote,» responding to the Trump administration’s directive to station federal agents at polling locations.

The latest ruling denies the administration’s emergency request and leaves the lower court’s decision in place at this stage of the litigation.