Supreme Court Denies Ballot Freeze

The U.S. Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s final request to pause the counting of mail ballots in California on Monday. The decision allows state officials to proceed with tabulating more than 20,000 votes from individuals the federal government suspects may be non-citizens. The ruling clears a major legal obstacle for California election workers just hours before the midpoint of the electoral cycle.

The conflict began on October 15, when the Justice Department filed suit against California. At that time, mail ballots had already been sent to all registered voters. The federal government demanded the state sequester 20,000 specific ballots, but state officials refused to voluntarily hold the votes. The lawsuit, United States of America v. State of California, et al., moved quickly through the lower courts over the following week.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, a Bill Clinton appointee, initially rejected the administration's request for a temporary restraining order. Carter argued that freezing the ballots would disrupt the ongoing election and create a chilling effect on voters and staff. He noted that federal officials provided vague explanations regarding the reliability of the data used to identify the potential non-citizens. The judge set an expedited hearing for November 13 to examine the methodology behind the list.

Carter established a deadline of December 3 for state officials to resolve the issue. This date aligns with the certification of election results. He suggested that this timeline eliminated the need for an emergency injunction. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Carter's decision in a 2-1 ruling. The appellate panel majority stated that the federal government was attempting to contravene the Elections Clause by undermining the Constitution's plain text.

The Justice Department appealed directly to the Supreme Court on Monday, citing the irreversible nature of processed ballots. The department argued that once a mail ballot is processed, it cannot be undone if the voter is later found ineligible. This 11th-hour move sought to bypass the lower court rulings and halt the count before Tuesday's election day.

State and local leaders responded to the Supreme Court's rejection with relief and criticism of the federal approach. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the request as a desperate attempt to scare voters into staying home. She urged residents to drop off their ballots or visit polling places, emphasizing that the election is secure and run by dedicated workers. County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis echoed this sentiment, calling the federal interference incessant and urging residents to continue voting.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta criticized the administration's grasp on the law. He posted on social media that there is no widespread voter fraud and that the federal government has no right to interfere in California's elections. Bonta noted that the only election President Donald Trump recognizes as valid is one where he wins. The state's legal team, led by Secretary of State Shirley Weber and County Clerk Dean Logan, had previously argued they lacked the legal authority to freeze mail ballots without verified citizenship data.

The Justice Department is currently suing 30 states over voter data access. The federal government has lost the majority of these cases so far. Carter previously dismissed a separate DOJ attempt to force California to turn over its full voter registration list. On Thursday, federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to California state and local election officials regarding alleged illegal voting in the midterms. The next scheduled event is the November 13 hearing in Los Angeles federal court, where Carter will hear witnesses on the reliability of the prosecutors' data.

The midterm elections will determine which parties hold majorities in both chambers of Congress. The Supreme Court's decision leaves the 20,000 disputed ballots in the state's possession for counting. State officials must complete the certification process by December 3. The legal battle over voter eligibility and federal oversight continues under the existing court schedules.