Courts Block Trump Administration’s California Ballot Push

On November 2, the Trump administration’s recent efforts to press states over election administration and noncitizen voting had largely faltered in court. California was a prominent example, with judges blocking the Justice Department’s attempt to have ballots from roughly 20,000 registered voters set aside because the federal government considered them likely noncitizens.

California officials objected to the list’s reliability and warned that acting on it so close to the election could disrupt ballot processing and wrongly prevent eligible residents from voting. They also argued that a federal law bars systematic voter-list removals within 90 days of an election.

A federal judge in Santa Ana rejected the Justice Department’s request to force ballot segregation, questioning its claims about unqualified voters. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to reverse that decision. The appeals court said the proposed action could effectively cancel ballots and remove voters from the rolls, and that changing election rules while voting was underway risked confusion.

Separately, a federal judge in San Francisco barred the Justice Department from threatening or coercing election workers who refused to stop processing ballots solely because voters had been alleged to be ineligible. The judge said the threats likely violated federal protections against voter intimidation and conflicted with states’ constitutional role in administering congressional elections.

The rulings came amid a broader wave of Justice Department investigations and lawsuits concerning election administration and noncitizen voting, most of which had foundered in court. The litigation has continued to provide the Trump administration with material to question the integrity of the approaching midterm elections.

Trump’s Election Pressure Meets a Judicial Check

On November 2, courts had pushed back against the Trump administration’s campaign to impose new election restrictions on states. In California, the Justice Department sought to isolate ballots from about 20,000 registered voters it deemed likely noncitizens, and threatened election workers who refused.

State officials questioned the federal list’s reliability and warned that last-minute intervention could disrupt ballot processing and disenfranchise eligible voters. A judge barred threats against workers, finding they likely violated voter-intimidation protections. Another judge rejected the request to segregate ballots, and the 9th Circuit left that ruling in place.

The appeals court emphasized that the requested action could effectively cancel ballots and remove voters from registration lists. It also warned against changing election procedures while voting was already underway. The decisions underscore the stakes of allowing the executive branch to pressure local election officials using disputed eligibility claims.

The cases formed part of a wider series of Justice Department investigations and lawsuits over election administration and noncitizen voting. Most had faltered in court, even as the litigation continued to fuel the administration’s claims about election integrity.

Courts Shut Down Federal Efforts to Scrutinize Voter Rolls

On November 2, the Trump administration’s efforts to address alleged noncitizen voting faced another courtroom setback. The Justice Department sought to set aside ballots from about 20,000 California voters identified as likely noncitizens, but federal judges rejected the bid and limited the department’s ability to pressure election workers.

The department’s push came amid a broader series of investigations and lawsuits focused on election administration and noncitizen voting. Most of those efforts had foundered in court, while the litigation continued to give the administration grounds to question the integrity of the approaching midterms.

California officials disputed the federal list and warned that acting on it late in the election process could disrupt ballot handling. The 9th Circuit said the request could lead not only to ballot segregation but to ballots being canceled and voters removed from the rolls. It also pointed to a federal restriction on systematic voter-list removals close to an election.

A separate order barred the Justice Department from threatening or coercing election workers who continued processing ballots. The rulings leave states’ existing election procedures in place, while the administration’s broader effort to scrutinize voter eligibility continues through investigations and litigation.