Federal judge denies Trump bid to pause 20,000 California ballots

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter denied an emergency request from the Trump administration on Wednesday, October 28. The move stops federal prosecutors from forcing California to set aside more than 20,000 ballots linked to voters whose citizenship status the government questioned. The decision comes less than a week before the November 3 midterm elections.

The Justice Department argued that thousands of names on California voter rolls failed to meet federal citizenship requirements. Officials sought a court order to separate those specific ballots from the general pile while their eligibility was reviewed. They claimed the data showed potential violations of federal election laws.

California election officials pushed back against the request. They disputed the reliability of the federal data and warned that separating the ballots could disrupt the count for eligible voters. The state noted that the government had not proven every identified individual was a noncitizen or had voted unlawfully.

Carter ruled that the administration had not shown enough grounds for such sweeping emergency restrictions. The ruling emphasizes the state's role in conducting elections. It aims to protect eligible voters from having their ballots excluded without strong evidence.

The judge also expressed concern over how federal enforcement threats might affect election workers. By denying the motion, Carter allows California to continue processing ballots under existing state procedures. The underlying legal dispute will proceed as the election approaches.