A federal judge has denied a request from the Trump administration to block California elections officials from counting ballots cast by 20,000 voters whose citizenship status is in question. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled that the claims made by the administration were “not credible” and that their request would violate federal laws while introducing chaos into the ongoing midterm elections.
In his opinion, Carter emphasized that allowing such an intervention would likely disenfranchise legitimate voters and facilitate political interference in elections. “This request violates longstanding constitutional principles mandating that states have control over their elections,” he stated. He warned that granting the administration’s request could lead to political disruption and undermine American electoral integrity.
Carter’s ruling followed a lengthy hearing where attorneys representing the state, Los Angeles County, and various voting rights organizations argued against the administration’s demands. This ruling marks the second time within a week that the court has rejected the Trump administration’s attempts to halt the counting of these ballots. A three-judge panel from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had previously denied the government’s emergency request.
Acting as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced that the administration plans to appeal Carter’s decision, stating on social media that every day ballots are processed creates a situation that threatens the disenfranchisement of American citizens. “This ongoing emergency disenfranchises American citizens through dilution,” he asserted.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan did not comment immediately but were included as defendants in the administration’s lawsuit filed on October 15. Their challenge has been bolstered by evidence suggesting that the list of flagged voters contains inaccuracies. Logan’s office reported that a review of a sample of voters revealed that many appeared to be born in the U.S.
Justice Department officials, however, defended the accuracy of their list, asserting confidence that the flagged voters are not citizens. They sought the court’s order to prohibit counting ballots from these individuals until their citizenship could be verified. During the hearing, it was revealed that the administration acknowledged discrepancies in the records and has not fully disclosed the sources of the data it used.
Carter questioned the reliability of the list created by the administration, noting that it was compiled using databases with questionable accuracy. He reiterated that any attempts to alter electoral procedures close to an election go against federal law. Furthermore, he denounced the threats issued by the Justice Department to county officials, referring to them as damaging to the electoral process.
Following the ruling, political leaders and voting rights advocates expressed their support for the decision. California Governor Gavin Newsom commented on the legal system’s role in resisting attempts to undermine electoral integrity, while California Attorney General Rob Bonta vowed to continue defending against unlawful federal interference. Analyst Rick Hasen described the ruling as a comprehensive defeat for the Trump administration, underscoring that states hold the authority to conduct elections.
The Trump administration’s appeal is likely to return to the same appellate panel that previously addressed the matter. With the legal landscape shifting in California, officials continue to navigate a complex and controversial electoral environment as the midterm elections approach.
