Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Intervene in California Ballot Fight/ NEWSLOOKS/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to order California to set aside ballots cast by 20,000 registered voters it claims are likely noncitizens. State and local officials dispute the reliability of the government’s data and warn that eligible Americans could be disenfranchised. The emergency request follows two unsuccessful Justice Department efforts to obtain similar relief from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Quick Look
- Emergency application: The Justice Department wants Supreme Court intervention in California’s ballot processing.
- Disputed voters: The request concerns ballots from approximately 20,000 registered voters.
- Federal allegation: The administration claims those voters are likely noncitizens.
- California’s objection: Election officials say the underlying data is flawed.
- Requested remedy: Federal officials want the ballots segregated while eligibility is adjudicated.
- Previous setbacks: The 9th Circuit twice rejected similar emergency requests.
- Outside review: Analysts who examined the government’s list reported apparent errors.
Deep Look
Justice Department Takes California Ballot Dispute to Supreme Court
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order requiring California to set aside ballots cast by approximately 20,000 registered voters whom federal officials claim are likely noncitizens.
The request escalates a dispute over the federal government’s efforts to intervene in California’s election administration after repeated setbacks in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
California’s state and local election officials reject the administration’s assessment. They say the government’s data is unreliable and warn that separating the disputed ballots could disenfranchise thousands of eligible U.S. citizens.
Sauer Argues Ballots Should Be Segregated Pending Review
Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the government had established grounds for immediate intervention while the courts examine the ballots’ eligibility.
“The United States has shown a sufficient likelihood that California is about to violate the law by counting aliens’ ballots,” Sauer wrote in the application.
“That likelihood supports an interim injunction requiring California to segregate the questioned ballots until their lawfulness can be adjudicated.”
The administration maintains that its interpretation of federal election law permits the requested intervention despite objections from state election officials.
The citizenship allegations remain disputed. Inclusion on the government’s list does not itself establish that a registered voter is ineligible.
Appeals Court Twice Rejected Similar Requests
The Supreme Court application follows two unsuccessful attempts by the Justice Department to secure similar emergency relief from the 9th Circuit.
The appeals court rejected those efforts, finding the administration’s attempt to insert itself into California’s election administration improper.
Federal officials are now asking the Supreme Court to require the ballot segregation that lower-court proceedings have not authorized.
Outside Analysts Identify Apparent Errors in Voter List
Questions about the government’s data remain central to the dispute.
Data analysts working for an advocacy group that obtained access to the Justice Department’s list said it contained numerous apparent errors.
The administration continues to defend the list’s accuracy.
California officials argue that acting on unreliable citizenship information risks excluding lawful voters. The administration contends that the ballots should be held separately until their eligibility can be resolved.
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