Supreme Court rejects Trump's request to stop California counting disputed votes

November 3, 2026

The US Supreme Court has denied the Trump administration's emergency request to segregate approximately 20,000 California ballots allegedly cast by non-citizens during the midterm elections. The Justice Department had demanded these ballots be set aside, but both lower courts and now the Supreme Court have rejected this request. California election officials disputed the government's claims, arguing the list identifying supposed non-citizens contained numerous errors and that separating ballots during active voting was impractical.

Who is affected

Approximately 20,000 registered California voters whose ballots the Trump administration sought to disqualify
California state election officials and the secretary of state's office
Los Angeles County Registrar and county officials across California
The Trump administration and the Department of Justice
Department of Homeland Security officials
California voters generally (23 million registered voters in the state)

What action is being taken

More than six million mail-in ballots had already been received as of Sunday night in California
Voting is currently underway for the midterm elections
California is counting ballots without segregating the disputed 20,000

Why it matters

This case represents a significant clash between federal executive power and state election authority on the eve of critical midterm elections that will determine congressional control for the remainder of Trump's second term. The rejection prevents potential disenfranchisement of eligible voters based on what California officials characterized as an inaccurate list, while a federal judge described the administration's actions as part of an "ongoing pattern of attempted election interference." The decision upholds state sovereignty over election procedures and protects the integrity of the vote-counting process in America's most populous state.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC