Trump administration California noncitizen ballot dispute
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to set aside more than 20,000 California mail-in ballots it claims were cast by noncitizens. The court rejected the request, and the full 9th Circuit will rehear a related appeal.
IllustrationThe story so far
On November 1, analysts found that more than 40 percent of names on a Trump administration list of potential California voters who are not U.S. citizens were not on California voter rolls. The administration had labeled the names as potential noncitizen voters.
On November 2, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to stop California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 voters it claims are not U.S. citizens. The request came one day before the midterms. A federal judge and an appeals court had rejected earlier requests, and California said the list was unreliable.
On November 3, the Supreme Court rejected the administration's last-minute request, so the lower court decisions stood and the administration's bid to disqualify the ballots before the midterms ended. Later that day, the full 9th Circuit voted to rehear the administration's appeal of an order blocking threats to prosecute election workers over suspected noncitizen ballots.
Latest updates
5 updates · newest first- 3 NovNew development
Full 9th Circuit to rehear election worker prosecution case
The full 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals voted late Monday to rehear the Trump administration's appeal of a lower court order. The order had blocked the administration from threatening election workers with criminal prosecution if they did not set aside ballots suspected to have been cast by noncitizens.
The Hill ↗
- 3 NovNew development
Supreme Court rejects Trump's request to stop California vote count
The US Supreme Court rejected a last-minute request by the Trump administration to intervene in California's midterm election vote count, denying an injunction to set aside 20,000 ballots alleged to be from non-US citizens. Two lower courts had already rejected the request, and state election officials questioned the accuracy of the federal government's claims. The ruling means the lower court decisions stand, effectively ending the administration's bid to disqualify the ballots before the midterms.
BBC News ↗
- 2 NovNew development
DOJ calls for sanctions over California voter rolls analysis
The Justice Department called for sanctions over an outside analysis of California voter rolls that found four in 10 names flagged as noncitizens were not on the state's rolls. In a Sunday filing, DOJ defended its claim that more than 20,000 noncitizens are on California's voter rolls.
- 2 NovNew development
Trump asks Supreme Court to block 20,000 California ballots
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to stop California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 voters it claims are not US citizens, one day before the midterms. The Justice Department wants the ballots set aside until citizenship is verified, while California says the list is unreliable and could include eligible voters. A federal judge and an appeals court had rejected earlier requests.
Al Jazeera ↗
DW ↗
NPR ↗
- 1 NovNew development
Over 40 percent of names on Trump administration list not on California voter rolls
Data analysts have flagged mismatches on a Trump administration list concerning California voter eligibility and citizenship status. More than 40 percent of names the administration labeled as potential California voters who are not U.S. citizens were not on Golden State voter rolls.